


Unproved By Science

by BennettGumball



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Last of Us, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Camping, F/F, Forests, G!P, Girl Penis Kara Danvers, Hiking, Hurt/Comfort, Zombies, journeys, mentions of cannibalism, mild burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2019-08-06 14:32:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 35,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16389521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BennettGumball/pseuds/BennettGumball
Summary: Rumors of immune people spread around for years, sprouting hope in different people and groups, but no one ever really knew if it was true. Kara didn't believe it. No one who had been bitten had lived past a day, those were scientific facts. Plus it broke one of the only rules she had followed. Kill the bitten. It was one rule every one knew by heart and they followed it unlike anything else. Survival of the fittest. Kara went by that like it was the only thing that mattered. Until a specific woman pops in her life, unexpectedly and unwanted. And she just happened to be bitten. But this bite was unlike any she had ever seen. It was healed.***Or Last Of Us AU. Zombies, clickers, and cockblockers.





	1. Utopia

Kara walked through the disheveled city as noticeable as they could, avoiding the wandering eye of soldiers. Her friend and the only person she trusted, James, was close behind her as they moved through the city, ignoring beggars and people who were crying for help. They only needed to make it to the building and they would be good. 

 

“Did you hear about ration cards?” James asked, looking at her. Kara groaned. 

 

“Yeah, who didn’t? There are less and less of em huh?” She said, trying to block her accent. 

 

“Yeah, it’s crazy. Lucky for us, we just got paid,” James says shyly and Kara frowned. 

 

“Speaking of paid, what about Robert. Our guns?” Kara asked and a large rumbling started to shake them. A military truck passed by, guns sticking out the side. “I’m tired of running around looking for him..” 

 

“There’s been some talk about him near the warehouses at the docks and if we hurry, we can make it to the checkpoint in time,” James said nonchalantly. 

 

“Yeah, ok. There are a few more hours until curfew anyway,” Kara said. They picked up the pace, walking a little faster. Close ahead was the checkpoint heavily guarded by soldiers. James handed Kara her ID as they got closer. 

 

“Ids,” The soldier said, sticking out his hand. They handed them over, blank stares on their face. 

 

“What’s your business here?” He asked, looking over them. 

 

“Visiting a friend, had the day off,” James says and the soldier nods, handing the IDs back. The pair started to walk through but suddenly a loud explosion rang out, panic roaring through the soldiers. 

 

“Shut the gate! Cadmus!” They shouted, throwing James and Kara out. The gate shut with a metal clang and gunfire rang out. James and Kara took the chance to run into a nearby building, closing the door behind them. 

 

“Shit!” James cursed. “Fuck.” 

 

“Damnit, I was fucking hoping to get him today,” Kara says. “Who knows where he’ll be now?” 

 

“Oh no, we’re still getting him. We’re just going to have to go through the tunnels,” James said.

 

“The tunnels? You mean outside the wall?” Kara said. “Oh hell no.” 

 

“Are we going to let Robert get away again for the hundredth time? What if he doesn’t come back?” James states. “We gotta take this chance.” 

 

Kara groaned, stretching out her arms. “Fine whatever. Let’s just get this done.” 

 

“Hell yeah, Kara knew you had it in you. Let’s go,” James said enthusiastically. They walked down the hall and a guy came up to them, patting James on the shoulder. 

 

“Where you two headed?” He asked. 

 

“‘To Robert,” James said. “Why?” 

 

“Cause you’re not the only ones looking for em. Lillian is asking around about him,” The man says. 

 

“Lillian? What would Camus want with him?” Kara says, confused. 

 

“Beats me but she even came to me. What a weird woman,” The man said. 

 

“Well, what you’d tell her?” James asks. 

 

“That I don’t know where he is cause I don’t. Then she left,” He said. 

 

“Thanks, man,” James said and the guy walked off. “Damn.” 

 

“I know. What would Cadmus want with a lowlife like Robert? He owes them too?” Kara questions. 

 

“Well, who doesn’t Robert owe? That man has debts higher than his ego,” James says and Kara laughs. They turn and enter a room, locking the door behind them. The room was barren except for a few pieces of furniture and some empty cans. They walked over to a bookshelf, taller than it should be and stood at either side. James pulled while Kara pushed and the bookshelf began to show a large hole behind it. As soon as it was open enough to left both of them to get through, they climbed through it and closed it back as well as they could. 

 

“Hate doing that, always makes me tired,” James said as they hopped down into a pit. “Gear up, we could be heading into a battle.” 

 

“Yeah, you never know,” Kara commented. The pair walked into a room and some tables lined with the small bite of gear they had. Kara grabbed her teal backpack, checking its supplies. Two medkits, her trusty freshly cleaned hunting knife, a smaller pocket knife, and her handgun. She checked the chamber, it was cocked with one and only had four in the clip. 

 

“How much?” James asked. 

 

“Not enough,” Kara told him and loaded the gun, placing it in the front of her pants after she strapped her sheath on. She secured her backpack on her shoulders and clasped on her flashlight. It flicked a few times before coming on. 

 

“Let’s go. Robert could be moving soon and we still need to go to the market,” James said. 

 

“What for? I thought you knew where he was,” Kara said, walking up to him. He handed her a water bottle that was half full and two granola bars. 

 

“I do but I just want to make sure. You can never be too right,” James says and Kara rolls her eyes. 

 

“Whatever. Let’s just go,” She sighs. 

 

“Alrightly then. You lift me or me lift you?” He asks as they get to a ledge too high to jump up. Kara is already propped against the wall before he stops speaking. “You lift me then.” 

 

“Don’t step on my face or I’ll step on your dick,” She jokes as he places his boot on her hands. 

 

“I could say the same back,” James jokes. “One, two three!” Kara pushes James up as he jumps and grabs the ledge. He pulls himself up and Kara moves to see him finish. “Got it.” 

 

“Yeah, I can see that….ready?” She says, taking a few steps back. He nods, sticking his hand down. Kara runs up and jumps, grabbing his hand. He pulls her up and she grabs the ledge, boosting herself onto it. 

 

“Good?” James asks and Kara nods, standing. “Cool. Be careful around here, there could be spores.” 

 

“Yeah, I know,” Kara says and unconsciously checks for her gas mask which is hanging on her hip. “We’re good, let’s go.” 

 

They walk a bit ahead and James opens up a trapdoor, letting Kara climb through. She holds it open for him and drops it once they get through. It lightens up, showing daylight as they walk through a run through bar. They walked outside surrounded by building. The outside. Kara never liked when they went outside the walls, they were exposed. There could be bandits, gangs or worse, runners. James called them zombies but Kara thought it sounded too cliche. They walked through the open plaza to another building and climb up a ladder. Kara follows James through the apartment, searching around and picking up random materials. They reached an exit and climbed down, back to street level. They entered another building which was darker than the last.

 

“Spores, Kara. Put your mask on,” James said urgently and she quickly put it on. Soon the air around them thickens and visible floaters are seen. Spores, one of the three things that can turn you. Spores are the unknown evil. People walk through them all the time thinking they won’t be affected but boom, within the next few days, they’re being hunted by the military. Kara always tried to keep her gas mask on her, just in case. 

 

The pair walked through the spores and quickly got low once they heard growling. Damn, she hoped they wouldn’t come across any. Runners.  Or as James called them, beaters. It was silent between them as they crawled through, trying to find them. It could go one of two ways. They would avoid them completely which is what Kara preferred or they would be found. Kara could take them but it depended on how many there were, just in case. 

 

They stepped over broken bottles and spare bricks that littered the floor, careful not to make any noise. The slightest sound and they’d be discovered. Suddenly there was an arm in front of her, stopping her. James stopped and pulled out his gun. Kara took the pipe from her bookbag, arming herself. He pointed ahead and Kara looked around. Three runners, feasting on somebody. Kara grabbed a bottle and threw it across the room, stopping them. Grunts and groans went out and the runners split up. James and Kara did as well, going after them. Kara had a death grip on her pipe as she snuck her way through the house. To the left of her was a grunt and she saw sporadic movements. Kara grabbed her knife and ran up behind it, stabbing her knife into the side of its head. A loud shriek went out behind her and Kara quickly stopped an attack with her pipe. She took her knife and charged it into the runner as much as she could. She managed to push it back and swung her pipe like it was a baseball bat. Rotting blood splashed as the runner hit the ground. It groaned and she finished it off, stabbing her knife into its brain. 

 

“Kara? You ok?” James says, coming up to the doorway. “Shit.” 

 

“Yeah shit. Got runner brains all over my mask,” Kara said, wiping it off with her sleeve. “Did you take care of the last one?” 

 

“Yeah, knife through the brain. Figured I wouldn’t wast bullets,” He said. “Come on, we’re close.” 

 

“Yeah, whatever.” They left the building and got outside where the spores cleared. They took off the gas masks and Kara took a deep breath of fresh air. “Spores fucking stink.” 

 

“What do you think they’re like without masks?” James says, chuckling. Kara smiles at her friend. He leads her to a sliver between to building that’s blocked off with debris. Kara lifts it and lets him slide under. He holds it up for her and they slide through the buildings to the other side.

 

Kara could hear the market from here as they walked through some more buildings to a clearing. Ahead was said market, busy as always. People were rushing around, trying to get as many things as they could. There was no authority here, no military. But it put a comfortable feeling within Kara knowing that they were safe from any inhuman threats. 

 

“All we need to do is find the guy and be on our way to Robert. Won’t take long,” James said. They walked through the market and Kara smiled at the kids which were running around and playing. They still didn’t know about the horrors which laid beyond the walls they were protected by. It was nice to see innocence in times like these. James called her foolish whenever they were out and she found comic books from her childhood or board games. Kara enjoyed them though because she knew in her mind there was a time better than this. And she wanted to remember that. 

 

“Kara, found him. Up ahead,” James said, nodding forward. There was a shady looking guy who was getting nervous the more they looked at him. “Go around the back, he’s gonna run.” She nodded and went around the back of a tent as the man slipped inside. She heard him pick up his pace, starting to flee and caught him just as he exited. 

 

“Not so fast dude,” She said, dragging him back in and slamming him down on the seat. “Remember me?” 

 

“Fuck you!” The man said, trying to break from her hold. “I won’t tell you nothing!” 

 

“Oh, is that right? Well, what about me?” James says, walking up to him. “Tell us where Robert is and we’ll let you go, no harm.” 

 

“Nah, no way. He’d kill me,” The man says, fear in his voice. 

 

“Come on man, you know you owe me a favor. This’ll be just paying it off,” James says and Kara tightens her grip on his shoulder. He winces in pain. 

 

“Alright, alright. He’s still by the docks like you’ve might have heard. But you gotta go quick, he’s packing for a move,” He says. 

 

“Thanks. We’ll be out of your hair,” James says and Kara lets him go. They exit the tent and make their way to the docks.

 

*** * ***

 

They finally caught up to him after 45 minutes of fighting through his men and running. Robert was trying to back his way from Kara and James as they approached him. 

 

“Where are the gun, Robert? Tell us now and we won’t shoot you,” James says, pointing a gun at him. He looks as if he’s about to take off before James shoots him in the foot. He cries out screaming and Kara quickly moves behind him, holding him up. She twists his arm behind his back, hearing it crack and stomps on his foot. “Come on Robert, we still could let you live.” 

 

“I gave….I gave em to Lillian. She drove a harder bargain than you did,” Robert said and Kara pulled harder until his arm cracked loudly. “Ahhh!” She let him drop to the ground before James walked over next to her. She kicked him harder and harder until he was pleading. “Please just let me go. I promise I’ll get em back, I promise.” 

 

“Too late,” James scoffed before loading two bullets into him. Robert let out a faint gasp as life exited him. “Fuck! Fuck fuck shit fuck!” 

 

“I thought you said he still hand em!”  Kara yelled at him. 

 

“I fucking thought he did but motherfucking Cadmus!” James yelled and kicked Robert’s body. “Fuck!” 

 

There was a loud clatter from behind them and they turned and looked, seeing the head of Cadmus herself. Lillian. The woman wasn’t her normal self, high, mighty and clean. She had blood caked on her face and was clutching her side in pain. 

 

“Help,” She groaned. “Please.”

 

“Why should we help you? You’re the bitch who stole our guns,” James cursed, pointing a gun at her. “Give me a reason I shouldn’t pull the trigger?” 

 

“I’ll give em back. All of em plus double. Ammo too. I just need you two to help me somewhere, a safe point,” Lillian said and clutched her side again. Blood seeped out of it onto the ground. 

 

“Come on man, what’s the harm helping her? If she’s lying we can just kill her then,” Kara says and James sighs. 

 

“Fine but if she’s leading us into an ambush, you’re dying first,” He says. 

 

“I um might have attracted the attention of some trigger-happy soldiers. We’re gonna have to avoid em,” Lillian says and they sigh. 

 

“Fine, let’s just go,” Kara says. She walks over and lets the woman lays against her, putting her arm over her shoulder. 

 

They managed to dodge the military with every twist and turn. Lillian leads them to a building that looked like people would still be able to live in it. As they went inside, Kara couldn’t count on both her hands and her toes how many Cadmus symbols she saw. They carried the older woman up the stairs and Kara found it to be oddly silent for a Cadmus safehouse. 

 

“Where’s everyone else?” She mouths to James and he shrugs. 

 

“Over here, this room,” Lillian coughs out. James opens the door, allowing her and Kara to walk in. There’s a bed on the far side of the room and Kara lays Lillian down on it. “I have a kit somewhere, find it for me please.” 

 

She nods and gets up, searching around for it. In a snap there was running coming from behind her and Kara was mounted from behind. There was an arm around her neck, choking her out. They started to punch her viciously but Kara knew that it wasn’t a man. Too light. 

 

“Lena,” Lillian shouted loudly. “Get off her, she’s helping me!” The woman, Lena, jumped off Kara and the blonde turned around, looking her up and down. Kara had never seen more beauty in her life. 

 

The girl who had so angrily jumped her was no older than she was but not a child either. Icky black hair was in a messy bun atop her head contrasted greatly with her pure pale skin. Her face was soft like she hadn’t been exposed to the horrors of the world. Lena, Kara remembered recalling her name, was wearing clothes similar to her own. A green long sleeve with black sleeves and jeans with steel-toed boots. It was all finished off with a leather jacket which had seen more years than both of them had. 

 

“She was snooping around our shit!” Lena yelled. “Stealing!” 

 

“No, she wasn’t. She was helping patch me up,” Lillian said. “I got hurt.” 

 

With those words, Lena raced over to Lillian's side, “What happened? Did she do it?” 

 

“No, they actually saved me. There was a fight earlier today with the military,” Lillian explained. “I’ll be fine though, it’s just a graze.” 

 

“Ok ok, enough with the heartfelt crap,” James says, moving next to Kara. “Where are our guns, Lillian?” 

 

“I haven’t forgotten,” She says, sitting up. “They’re at the old city hall.” 

 

“What? You mean you don't have em?” Kara exclaims. “You lead us on a wild goose chase.” 

 

“No, I didn’t. You’re going to get your guns, I promised you that. You just need to do one more thing for me, “Lillian said. 

 

“We need to do something for you? We just saved your ass! Why should we do more?!” Kara yelled, even more frustrated. 

 

“Because it’s worth your while. I’ll give you your guns plus extra supplies and ammo. It’s just a small favor I need from you,” The woman said. Kara tolled her eyes, pacing in circles and James sighed. 

 

“What? What could you possibly need?” 

 

“I need you two,” She pointed at Kara and James. “To deliver her.” She finished with pointing at Lena. 

 

“What?!”


	2. Outskirts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little note before the chapter - I'm doing the best not to go word by word, I promise but it's hard to do in the beginning. I need a way to get the plot kick-started and this is the only way that makes sense to me. The rest of the story won't be a word for word for the script. The plot will be close, obviously major plot points but not all of it. Sorry, it's very close to the game right now but it will get better in a few more chapters. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

The night air smelled of dew and plant life and there was a faint breeze blowing past them. They walked through the streets of the outer city, which had been past abandoned. Their boots hit against the broken pavement and overgrown weeds as they tried to avoid clinking bottles or loose bricks. Cars were stranded on the roads, overtaken by weeds and flowers, doors open and things from inside them astray like they had been looted. Maybe, years ago though. In front of them were two buildings that laid against each other for support. The military’s failed attempt at a bombing. So much fire and so much unnecessary death. They didn’t even wipe out the intended threat. Walkers, clickers and whatever animals you could think of had taken over the city so it was suicide walking through there. 

 

Kara frowned and it had been her face for the past two days. She can’t believe James sweet-talked her into this. Delivering this girl who would probably stab them in the neck if they turned their backs. She treaded behind James and the girl, looking her up and down. Her friend was trying to make conversation, be friendly, but she wasn’t having any of it. Her arms were crossed and she was looking ahead focused. 

 

“So Lena, where’d Lillian find you?” James asks, looking over at her. 

 

“She knew my father. When he died, she took me in,” Lena explained, looking forward as they walked through the woods. 

 

“How’d your dad die?” James asked and she glared at him. “Fine, fine. Then how old are you? You seem pretty young.”

 

“I’m 22. Been with Cadmus since I was 14,” She told them. He nodded and looked back at Kara who ignored him. 

 

“Well, you know me, James. I’m 26 and so is my partner, Kara,” He said, pointing back at her. “We’ve been together for a while but you know time, since this shit has started, has been hazy.” 

 

“Mmm, I guess,” Lena grunted at him. “Where are we going to set up camp for the night? It’s getting too dark for my liking.” 

 

“Soon,” Kara says and wonders why she responded. “We’re going to get through those building first then set up. It’ll be easier to get it over with.” 

 

Lena grunted and nodded, walking a bit faster. James, on the other hand, slowed his pace and got in step with Kara. 

 

“So what do you think?” He asked and she was confused. “Why do you think Lillian wanted us to transport her?” 

 

“I don’t know, maybe you should have asked before taking the deal. What in your mind told you this,” Kara gestured to their surroundings and the girl in front of her, “Is a good idea?” 

 

“The reward, Kara. Gradual gratification. We deliver the girl, we get our guns plus more. Just be happy that she’s not a kid or worse, a preteen,” James said and shuddered, making Kara laugh. 

 

“Yeah, you’re right. I guess I’m just sore from her punching me earlier. There are bruises on my neck,” Kara says and rubs the raw marks on her skin. 

 

“I’ll take a look at them later, first we just gotta past the military checkpoint,” James said and Kara groaned. 

 

“Ugh, I forgot about that. Why are their checkpoints anyway, it’s not like anyone’s sneaking out of the city,” Kara complains.

 

“Uh, we are. And it's not to keep people in, it’s to keep the zombies out. You know that” James said. Kara rolls her eyes. 

 

“Don’t call em zombies. They eat more than brains,” She says and he smiles. 

 

“Yes but brains are their favorite right,” James jokes, nudging her arm. Kara chuckles

 

“Hey, you two,” Lena calls for ahead. “There’s a hole but a tipped over 16 wheeler is over it. We can walk across.” 

 

“You sound like you know what you’re doing,” James says as they walk up to it. Lena was right, there was a newly formed hole which looked deep enough to get stuck in. To the right of them was a 16 wheeler and the trailer made a pathway they could walk through. 

 

“I’ve been around. Probably not as much as you have but you get the point,” Lena says. 

 

“Hmm, I’ll go first. MAke sure we’re good,” James says. They all walk over and James carefully drops into the trailer. It creaks loudly at first but doesn't shake. He walks through and the metal is strong enough so they won’t fall through. “Come on.” 

 

Kara helps Lena down first and follows, doing her best to gently fall into it. They walk through and the next things she knows it getting hit across the face hard. Kara falls to the ground, gripping her check and looks up seeing a military grade rifle pointed at her face.

 

“Nice and easy there. Get on your knees,” A female voice says through the gas mask she was wearing. They, Kara now saw there was two of them. 

 

“Ugh, what are you doing sneaking out? Trying to get yourselves killed?” The other says, a man. “Idiots.” 

 

“Just be glad they’re the first ones of the night and our shift is up. Call it in,” She tells him and he nods, picking up his radio. 

 

“Hey base, got a few….three, two chicks one guy. Alright, see you soon,” He hangs up and turns back to them. “You got it or should I?”

 

“You check them, I’ll keep watch,” She says, pointing the gun’s light into Kara’s eyes. The blonde winces and rolls her eyes. 

 

“Hey, you should just let us pass and we’ll pay you. You got a few things,” James says. 

 

“Be quiet,” The man says, checking them. The detector beeps once for James, clean. He moves on to Kara and it’s once, clean. Kara looks to her side and sees Lena starting to panic. The man goes to check her and before he gets the word out, he’s stabbed in the leg and falls down. Kara chares at the woman who’s about to shoot Lena and struggles for the gun. James finishes off the man the same time that Kara shoots the woman in the head. 

 

“Fuck,” James curses and dresses himself off. Kara gets up and storms towards Lena, grabbing her arms. 

 

“Why the fuck did you do that?! We could have handled the truck when it got here!” Kara yelled outraged, shaking her. Lena looked scared, staring into Kara’s eyes. Beside them, James picked up the detector and checked it. 

 

“I don’t...I don’t know, I just got scared,” She whimpered and Kara pushed her back, letting her fall on the ground. 

 

“Kara, fucking look at this,” He said strained and threw it to her. She caught it and her eyebrows raised in surprise as red flashed on her face.  _ Infected _ . 

 

“Lillian set us up!” Kara yelled furiously and throwing the machine on the ground. “You’re infected!” 

 

“I’m not! I’m not!” Lena said, trying to defend herself, “I can explain.” 

 

James pulled out his gun and pointed it at her head, threatening her, “You fucking better.” 

 

“Look at this,” Lena said quickly, lifting her sleeve. A perfect imprint of human teeth was embedded in her shoulder like she was bit from behind.  Kara could tell from where she was standing and she didn’t want to get any closer. 

 

“I don’t care how you got the bite, tell us why we shouldn’t shoot you,” James said, pushing the gun against her head. 

 

“It’s, it’s three weeks old! Three weeks!” Lena yelled, shutting them up. 

 

“Bullshit, everyone turns in 24 fucking hours! No way it’s three weeks!” Kara said. 

 

“It’s is, it is I swear! Three weeks!” She yelled again. “It healed over, it’s like a fucking scar now!” 

 

“I don’t fucking believe you, no way you’re immune,” James said. 

 

“I am, I promise. Lillian didn’t set you up,” Lena said. “I’m immune.” Kara turned and stared into her eyes furiously. Something shook inside her and she found herself believing her. But just as she was about to speak, gunfire went off and she and James dodged. 

 

“It’s the truck! They must have heard the shots! We gotta go!” Kara yelled. Grabbing Lena’s hand, they took off after James, heading for cover. 

 

“Guys, up ahead! Sewer tunnels!” James yelled. Kara saw them and heard the truck closing in. James fells into the tunnel, backing against the wall. With a surge of energy, she pushed Lena in and jumped in as the truck zoomed past. They all held their breath, trying to make themselves blend into the wall as much as possible. Kara felt her hand squeeze and looked at it, seeing she was still holding Lena’s tightly. She couldn’t find it in herself to let go of the other woman’s hand with the frightened look on her face. So she didn’t and they waited in silence for the truck to pull off. 

 

“Where’d they go!” A person yells out. 

 

“I don’t know but keep searching! These fuckers killed Dawson and Nathen!” Another says. “They’re gonna pay!” 

 

“Hey, we gotta go, if they find us, we’re dead!” James whisper yells to them and Kara nods. “We’ll follow the tunnel.” James lead down the way while Kara watched the back, arming herself with her gun. As soon as they were out of sight, James turned his flashlight on. “Are they following?” 

 

“No, but keep going,” Kara whispered back. They continued to walk slowly until Kara couldn’t hear the truck or voices any longer. “They’re gone.” 

 

“Good, thank fuck!” James cursed under his breath, laying against his knees. He caught his breath and turned to Lena, glaring at her. He continued ahead, not looking back at them. Kara followed and found herself falling into step with Lena. 

 

“How are you doing?” Kara asked and suddenly wondered why she decided to speak. Lena looked at her curiously and she felt increasingly embarrassed. “I mean, you looked really freaked when the truck came along.”

 

“I’m fine. Just worried what they would do if they found me,” Lena said, sparing a look at Kara. Kara felt her body oddly heat under her gaze but shaking away the feeling. “But it can’t be much worse than what you’ll do to me.” Kara followed Lena’s gaze to her gun and her eyes widened.

 

“Well, if what you’re saying is true, we won’t have to do anything. We’ll just escort you like we’re being paid to do,” Kara said, holstering her gun. Lena hummed and looked ahead. Kara did the same and her eyes found her friend. James was tense and his grip on his gun was way too tight. He looked like he’d go off with the slightest sound. They stayed silent as they walked through the tunnel. Soon light was starting to come from ahead and James dimmed his, raising his gun. Kara stepped in front of Lena, putting her arm up defensively and held her gun up, ready to shoot. They slowed and started to get closer to the source. 

 

“False alarm, it’s just an exit,” James said but didn’t put away his gun. They walked through the end of the tunnel and James took a deep breath in. He stilled from a moment before quickly turning around and pointing his gun at Lena. 

 

“Whoa! Whoa!” Kara yelled, standing between them. “James!” 

 

“She’s fucking infected Kara! We’re going to wake up tomorrow half eaten!” He yelled, trying to get closer. “I don’t believe this immune shit!” 

 

“Well, I do! Ok now look. My sister Alex used to be part of Cadmus ok and especially the finding a cure to all this shit! Now look, we don’t know when she got bit so we should wait it out alright!? Give the benefit of the doubt,” Kara said and James groaned. 

 

“Yeah until she eats us! You can’t be serious Kara!” James said. 

 

“Well, I am and stop flinging your gun around the place, James! I saw all the research that Cadmus did when Alex was there and I believe that it can be true. Give it a chance, maybe,” Kara said, holding her arm in front of Lena. 

 

James groaned, punching a column. “Fine! Fine! But when we set up camp for the night, you're sleeping next to her. We’ll see how  _ you  _ feel about immune when you’re getting your face eaten. Now let’s go.”

 

*** * ***

 

The moon was high in the sky, its light reflecting against the glass of the business building. The glass had cracks every inch of it and the building creaked everytime the wind blew too fast but it was still sturdy. A small fire was dying out in front of Kara and she half-heartedly threw some more sticks into it. Across from her James slept like a baby and jealously roared through her. It always took her at least 15 minutes to fall asleep but he could sleep anywhere at any time. Bullshit. So she was on lookout but this time she had some company. Lena. The girl was sitting up against a column, looking out the window and messing with her pocket knife. 

 

“Not going to sleep?” Kara said making her jump in surprise. Lena looked over at her and squinted, her eyes adjusting. 

 

“Not tired,” Lena grumbled out and turned a small bit to face Kara. 

 

“Well, you’re not cold over there?” Kara said. “Come by the fire.” 

 

“Mmm, what if he wakes up?” Lena says, gesturing towards him. 

 

“James doesn’t wake until sunlight is out. Or until I kick him,” Kara jokes and shrugs. Lena chuckles a bit. “But seriously, come on. Try to get warm at least.” 

 

Lena sighed and got up, walking over. Her silhouette was enhanced by the moonlight and the fire in front of her brightened up her features. It was the first time Kara saw her clearly since meeting her. Her hair was now laying on her shoulders, inky blackness contrasting on her barely light blue t-shirt. Dirt was caked on her face and parts of skin that was showing and her jacket was tied around her waist. She sat next to Kara and her eyebrows bunched looking at the other woman. 

 

“What?” She says, curious. 

 

“Nothing, nothing. Just uh,” Kara got her bag and rummaged through it. “Here.” 

 

“Wet wipes? Where’d you get these?” Lena said, taking one. She scrubbed her face, waiting for an answer. 

 

“A few weeks back, me and James did a job. They gave us some food and these. Not much but what else can you get in an apocalypse,” Kara shrugs. “Anyway, it was worth it. Wet wipes are a necessity.” 

 

“Yeah, just can’t remember the last time I’ve seen any,” Lena said, wiping her arms. “How long have you and James been together?” 

 

“We’ve been partners since about 3 or 4 years ago? Met each other at a deal that went wrong. We made it out and have been together since,” Kara told her. 

 

“Is it hard being business partners with your boyfriend in a time like this?” Lena asked and Kara covered her mouth, blocking out her loud laughter. 

 

“Me and James? No, no, no, no. James and I are not dating, we’re just close friends. We wouldn’t work together at all,” Kara said and chuckled. 

 

“Sorry, I just assumed,” Lena said and Kara waved it off. 

 

“It’s fine, I see where you get it from. We do act like that sometimes,” Kara said and Lena nodded. Her nod turned into a yawn and she rubbed her eyes. 

 

“You should sleep. We’re going to be here awhile,” Kara said. 

 

“Nah, nah I’ll be fine,” Lena said sleepily and the next thing Kara saw was her passing out on her blanket. She chuckled to herself and looked around before laying down. Catching a few hours of sleep wouldn’t be bad and James would have to deal with it. She was exhausted.


	3. Trios Are Forever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Violence warning but that's for all of this fic. It's a zombie fic, what do you expect?*
> 
>  
> 
> * it's not regular updates, ik that much
> 
> anyway, enjoy!

Light shined down through dirty and water stained cracked glass. A thumping on her back and a garbled voice broke through her sleep and she yawned, waking up. She blinked her eyes, light coming in and out of them. Kara sat up with a groan and stretched, cracking her arms in the process. She rubbed her face and looked around at the source of her sudden awareness. A muffled voice was behind her and she grumbled before acknowledging it.

 

“What?” Kara asked tiredly. 

 

“You were right,” James said, his deep voice making her awake of her surroundings.

 

“As usual but about what?” Kara asked, standing. She rolled up her blanket and stuffed it in her bag before slinging it over her shoulders. She tightened it and checked her weapons quickly.

 

“Lena, you were right. She’s immune,” James said. Kara yawned again and stood, stretching her arms.

 

“Had a feeling. I guess Alex was right,” Kara said. “Where is she?” 

 

“At the door, waiting for us. I scouted out some checkpoints I think we can make it to today, they’re not far but it’ll get us past the military,” James explained. Kara nodded. 

 

“Alright, let’s go. Maybe we’ll find some food or something,” Kara said, walking towards the door. 

 

“Hopefully. Think we should sneak some away from the military?” James asked. Kara shook her head. 

 

“After last night, they’ll be looking for us. We’re lucky we could get some sleep last night,” Kara said. They reached the doorway and Lena was standing there, messing with her knife. Kara faintly smiled at her as they started down the way they came. Once they were back to the ground, they started off towards the west, further away from the safe zones. The city around them was barely standing. Broken glass covered the streets and cars clogged it up. Doors were open astray like people were trying to escape. They walked down the middle of it, squeezing through the spaces between. It was too dangerous to stay close to the buildings, especially ones that were boarded up. 

 

James led, his hands behind his head like he was relaxing. Kara was laid back but was still on guard. Even if the military wasn’t this far out, the infected still were. Lena, on the other hand, was on full guard. She had her knife out and was hyperaware. James didn’t notice but Kara did and she recognized the fear in her. While James walked ahead, Kara caught up to Lena and bumped her. 

 

“Haven’t been this far out before?” Kara asked and Lena shook her head. “Lillian didn’t take you out?”

 

“I’m not with Cadmus,” Lena said, shooting her a glare. 

 

“How’d you know them?” Kara asked and Lena rolled her eyes.

 

“A friend of mine” She curtly said. Kara nodded and turned ahead again, getting the message. She didn’t want to talk. 

 

“How’d you get bit?” James called out, turning back for a second. 

 

“A runner,” Lena deadpanned and rolled her eyes. James flipped her off and Kara laughed lightly. 

 

“You know what I mean, how did it happen?” James said, waiting for them to catch up. “Like what happened?” 

 

“I was in a military compound and snuck out,” Lena said, “Ran into some..well runners and that was that.” 

 

“Where did you go? They keep military compounds tight when it comes to the infected,” James asked. 

 

“The mall,” She said, her voice less tense. She put her knife away and her shoulders loosened. Kara smiled to herself, not letting the other woman see.

 

“Well, how the hell did you get in there?” James blurted. “It’s completely off limits.” 

 

“I had my ways,” Lena chuckled to herself. 

 

“Don’t we all,” Kara says under her breath and stops. “Guys, wait.” 

 

“What?” James asked, coming up to her. “Infected?” 

 

“Shh, shh,” Kara said, listening. She closed her eyes, rubbing the back of her neck. Suddenly, they opened, fearful. “Go! That building go!” Kara said, pointing across the street. They took off and soon behind them, growls and grunts were heard coming from behind them. Lena turned back and saw a herd of runners mixed with something else behind them. Kara met her eyes and screamed at her to run, resuming her feet. James was pulling the metal door open from the bottom and Kara jumped next to him, pulling it up as well. It creaked before lifting just enough so Lena could slide under. Next was Kara and she went behind, holding it up so James could get under. A runner grabbed his foot just as he was clear, yanking him back. Lena charged, stabbing her knife in the hand and pulling it out, cutting it clean off. James crawled thought and Kara let go of the door, banging loudly coming from the other side. She and James got a metal cart and blocked the door, falling back to the ground, panting. Lena stood as far away from the door as she could, the banging still loud and constant. Soon it drained away, shouts turning into low groaning and soon the only thing that was heard was the three of them panting. Kara sat up, looking around. She checked herself for bites and sighed, gathering that she was clear.

 

“You good James?” Kara asked and he nodded, sighing loudly. “Lena?” She turned around and saw the girl shivering, holding herself tightly. Her knife was uncleaned and her eyes were jumpy, looking around. Kara went to get up but James beat her, already rushing over to her. 

 

“Hey, you ok?” He asked, softly. Lena didn’t respond and looked away, holding her knife tighter. “Lena, it’s me, James. You’re ok,” He said again, laying a hand on her shoulder. She jumped, pointing her knife at him. “Hey hey! Calm down, you’re ok, you’re fine.” He began to rub her shoulder and Kara saw that she was still tense through the comforting motions. “Come on Lena, we gotta move ok? We gotta go.” 

 

Lena let go of shuddering breaths and nodding, putting her knife down by her side. James smiled sweetly at her and went ahead, turning his flashlight on. Kara got up and went to Lena, moving in front of her slowly. 

 

“Hey Lena, it’s me,” She said lowly, not to scare her. Lena looked up with frightened and unsure eyes. “We’re good ok, we’re inside. The Infected are gone so we’re safe for now. We just got to keep moving.” Lena nodded, still silent. “You can keep your knife out but do you want to walk in front of me? Extra protection sort of?” Lena was still but then walked in the direction of James, causing Kara to walk behind her. 

 

The three of them were silent as they moved through the building. The smell of old air and decay filled their noses and Kara could barely keep herself from wincing at it. Soon the walkway they were in got smaller and smaller until they were crouching and almost crawling through a tunnel. They could only move so fast so they took their time, carefully watching where they laid their feet. Suddenly, they stopped and Kara leaned to the side to look ahead. James was trying to lift a large piece of wood that was laying between them and the rest of the building. 

 

“Need help?” She said and he looked back, nodding. Kara carefully moved past Lena and stood next to James, putting her hands under the wooden shaft. On three, they lifted, the wood and metal creaking as it was moved. Lena quickly moved under and Kara followed, holding it up for James. Just as he was going to move under, loud and irregular clicking was heard close to Kara and Lena and she dropped the shaft, leaving James on the other side. She quickly whispered “Clickers” to him and ran off with Lena, away from the Infected. 

 

Lena was breathing heavily and whimpering, fear racing through her. She had always heard about clickers but had never encountered them. Were they the things that were just chasing them a few moments ago? Kara was next to her and her breaths were stable and slow, keeping her calm throughout the danger. Would Lena ever be able to get to that stage? Lena quickly got lost in her fear and thoughts and didn’t see Kara stretching an arm towards her. She yelped quite loudly and screeching was heard in the room next to them, heading towards them. She looked and saw Kara’s breath was faster, almost panicking. The blonde quickly pulled out a bottle out of her bag, it filled with a cloth and some sort of liquid. Lena quickly recognized it. A molotov. She lit it and picked up a rock, tossing it far across to a different hall. Clickers screeched around them, running towards to new sound and as soon as their creaking footsteps stopped, she chucked the molotov and pointed at the far room that Lena could barely see. The raven-haired girl headed for it nonetheless and Kara followed. Behind them, they heard fire crackling and the Infected crying out in pain. As they entered the room, Kara searched around for something to board it up. A wooden sheet was laying on the ground and she quickly picked it up, putting it over the doorway. Lena spotted a bookcase or wardrobe and started to push it over the doorway. Kara joined her, standing behind her as they both pushed, trying to cover it. 

 

More Infected was heard from outside and as the wardrobe was halfway over the door, they started to pound on the sheet. The thin wood quickly broke and they reached through, screaming and grabbing. 

 

“You stab! I push!” Kara yelled at Lena who pulled up her knife. She jabbed the blade towards the Infected heads, it plunging into the soft and old brains. Clickers filled the clearing out hoard, sounding and screeching. Through her fear, Lena stabbed them, screaming right back. Soon Kara had the wardrobe fully over the doorway and they both stepped back. 

 

“Find an exit!” Kara told her and they searched, pulling apart almost everything they could find. Soon they came to find out that the room was a dead end. And it would have been that literally. “Keep looking Lena, we can get out of here.” 

 

“There’s no exit!” Lena said, panic filling her again. 

 

“There’s always an exit, especially in times like this,” Kara said, looking around. Her eyes roamed every inch of the room until they focused on the roof. “Look, up.” Lena looked up and saw a large hole like something had broken through the ground above. “We can get through that, just got to find something to stand on. Hurry, go quick. They’re breaking through the wardrobe.” 

 

“Table,” Lena said and pointed. 

 

“Perfect,” Kara said and started pulling it over. “You go first, hurry.” Lena climbed onto the table and jumped, grabbing the ledge above. Kara climbed onto it next and pushed Lena up. Her boot-clad feet disappeared on the floor above. Kara jumped and just barely grabbed it, struggling to pull herself up. Lena was there and took a hold of Kara’s hands before she slipped and fell. She pulled the blonde up and the hoard broke through, filling the room below. Kara got through the hole and fell back against the floor, gasping for air. After she caught her breath, Kara scrambled to her feet and was on guard as they moved through the upper part of the building. It was less crowded but there were holes in the ground, leading down to pits of Infected. Kar had her knife out and took Lena’s hand as they moved throughout the hallway. Soon they reached a stairway which leads to a door at the bottom. But to the left of it was an open doorway and no telling what could be down there. Kara took the lead as they went down slowly, fear creepy up Lena’s back. She gripped Kara’s hand more and the blonde tried not to let it get to her. They crept closer and a rustle came from the other room. Kara flipped her knife, pointing the blade to the side and outward as she moved closer. She charged and was met with another knife and familiar brown eyes.

 

“James!” She whispered. 

 

“Kara, holy shit I thought I lost you,” He said and hugged her tightly. Kara gestured Lena down the stairs and the girl was more relaxed, putting her knife away. 

 

“We got caught in a sticky situation but we’re fine, no injuries. What happened to you?” She asked, looking him over. He seemed alright but was sweating and was overly jumpy.

 

“When we got uh separated, I found a crawl space to go through. I um fought my way through like 2 hoards of clickers and runners and uh made it down here. I mean, I heard a scream and I thought you were gone,” He explained. 

 

“Again, sticky situation. We’re all good, just want to get out of here,” Kara said and he nodded. James broke the door open and the three of them left, meeting the sunlight again. They were surrounded by old building on three sides but one and couldn’t make out anything from where they were.“Where are we? We’re totally off path now.” 

 

“Yeah, let’s hurry and try to find a main street but be careful. If we’re close to Cadmus, they might shoot before asking questions,” James said and they nodded. He took the lead, moving through quickly. Quicker than normal. As they moved, their footsteps were getting heavier and started to slosh around. They looked down and saw themselves in inch deep water.

 

“Um, just to say,” Lena spoke, causing them to turn around. “I’m afraid of water. I mean, I can swim but, I hate it if it’s more than over my knees.”

 

Kara looked ahead to the roads and saw that they were about flood length high but they still could walk through. “How about you hold on to me for now and we’ll talk about it later. I think we’re close to the capitol building.” Lena reached for Kara’s backpack and looped her fingers through the straps, clutching tight. She smiled lightly as Kara and the blonde turned ahead, back to James. He was ahead by a few feet so Kara picked up the pace, trying to catch up with him. 

 

“Hey, I can see the building from here. It’s about a half a mile away, maybe more,” James said, heading towards it. 

 

“Wait up, you’re going too fast,” Kara called, trying to get closer to him. Lena slowed her down a bit but they managed to catch up with the older man. “What’s your deal man? Why are you rushing?” 

 

“Just want to get to these guys,” He muttered, trying to go faster. The slow but steady current kept him at a pace and he seemed to be frustrated. “Wish we could go faster.”

 

“Calm down James, we’ll get there when we get there,” Kara said, putting a hand on his shoulder. He yanked away, pushing himself to go faster. Kara sighed and looked back, seeing Lena looking down into the murky liquid. “Don’t freak yourself out too much. Hopefully, this is the last time you’ll have to deal with water for a while.”

 

“Maybe,” Lena unconsciously murmured, walking with Kara’s pace. The more the moved to the building, the less water there was and soon it was below their knees. They were met with a ledge up to the entrance of the capitol building and Kara hoisted James up. She then pushed Lena up halfway and James pulled her the rest in what seemed like as fast as he could. Kara jumped up and grabbed his hand and they headed inside. 

 

“Weird. There should be guards here, right?” Kara sounded, looking around. The building seemed barren and it was silent. James huffed in frustration and stormed inside. He let out a cry of anger and a loud clattering was heard inside. Kara and Lena rushed in, finding him repeatedly punching a stone column. “James! James, what’s wrong!?”

 

“They’re not here! They’re not fucking here!” He screamed, kicking over buckets. “Fuck!” 

 

“Then we’ll just look and see where they went. Shouldn’t be hard,” Kara said, starting to look around. 

 

“No! No fuck that! I don’t have time,” James said, kicking more crates. 

 

“Time? Time for what? We have all the time in the world nowadays, James,” Kara said. He turned and pointed at her. 

 

“You might and Ms. Little Immune here might but I…...I don’t!” James yelled. 

 

“Why wouldn’t you? Tell me what’s going on James!” Kara yelled, getting a hold of him. 

 

“I got bit! I got fucking bit!” He screamed, pulling up his sleeve. An oozing, brown and red bite was on his forearm and it looked like it was getting infected by the second. “I fucking got this when we first got separated and it already looks worse than hers! She’s had it for fucking three weeks! I had mine for an hour! A fucking hour!”

 

Everything went numb in Kara’s mind. She never would've thought that it would have been him. Not him, not first. “James,” Kara said softly.

 

“Nah, nah it’s not your fault. I mean I’m wondering how it didn’t happen sooner you know?” James said, running his hand over his head.“Look, Kara, look at me real quick. Do you think that Lillian and Alex are right? There could be a cure in her?” He pointed at Lena and they stared her down. 

 

“I mean I don’t know for sure, but-”

 

“But. A but is all I need for now ok? All I need,” James said. “Kara, look I-”

 

“Here! They’re in here!” Shouting came from outside along with the rumbling of a truck. The military had found them. 

 

“Shit! Shit, what are we going to do?” Kara screamed and James looked her in the eyes. They both knew the look. “No. No man, no.” Footsteps were heard, heading up the stairs.

 

“I have to Kara, there’s no hope for me man. They’re going to find me and if you’re still here, it’ll all be worth nothing. You gotta go,” James said. 

 

“No, James, no I’m not leaving you. No James no!” Kara yelled. He pulled out his gun and pushed her and Lena along, towards the back of the building. 

 

“Go. Go, you gotta go Kara. Just please,” James said in a soft, empty voice. “You gotta go or it won’t be worth it.” 

 

“James…” Kara started and he frowned. The sound of footsteps were getting louder and Lena was pulling on her sleeve. When did she start doing that?

 

“I’m going to die anyway ok? I rather you not be here for that ok? So please go before they get in here.” He sighed. “You know, maybe I would’ve lasted longer in another life huh?”

 

Lena managed to pull her away from the door, pulling her away from the incoming entry. They got behind a wall, out of sight just as gunfire filled the corridor, bringing Kara back to her senses. She managed to turn her head and peek past the edge, seeing James smiling up at the person leading. He stuck a middle finger up at them before a loud pop filled the air. And Kara was alone.


	4. Then There Was Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is so so late. Writer's block and seasonal depression all hit me at once. I just got out of a funk and finished this chapter so here you go. Also, I'm sorry it's short, I did the best I could for now and it's a good place to stop it off. I hope you enjoy!

The gunshot rang out, echoing in Kara’s head as she ran alongside Lena, trying to escape the building. Bullets whizzed past them, hitting the stone columns they hide behind. Kara held Lena to her chest, taking any chance she could to be a bullet off. She timed her shots as close to perfect as she could, making sure they were near vital points. Four men went down as Kara’s gun emptied. 

 

“Run over to that couch over there. It’ll keep our cover for a little. But once I yell you run to that door over there,” Kara said, letting go of the younger woman. She pointed over to an open door on the other side of the room, leading to what looked like was outside. “1…….2…...3! Go!” They sprinted over to the couch and made it behind just as the firing started again. Lena held onto her bag and waited until the firing stopped for Kara’s word. The blonde counted with her fingers and as soon as she hit three, they took off for the open door. Gunfire rang out behind them as they ducked it and took off for some stairs on the other side of the new room. Kara and Lena sprinted up them and Lena was about to keep running before Kara grabbed her by the waist, placing a hand over her mouth. She put a finger to her lips and set Lena against the door, waiting in silence. 

 

“Where’d they go?” They heard the men shouting from the floor below. 

 

“Who cares?! Just find them and kill them so we can go!” Other yelled and they stopped speaking. Kara took a deep breath and Lena copied before they walked forward. They stayed low to the ground, Lena close to Kara’s side. The blonde scooped the room and her eyes locked on something reflecting in the light outside. It was a gun, a hunting rifle. She pulled it from a dead man’s hands and picked it up, inspecting it. It was in good shape and had a few rounds of ammo in it plus whatever the man had. Which were two full boxes of ammo for the rifle and some for her pistol. Kara reloaded both of the guns and ducked when she heard footsteps on the other side of the room. 

 

Lena took her knife out and clung to the wall, moving only when Kara did. Kara pointed the rifle forward, looking through the scope. Someone’s head passed by and she pulled the trigger, a shot ringing out loudly and a body hitting the ground. 

 

“They’re over there!” Someone yelled and they began firing. Lena ducked behind a thrown over bookcase and Kara kept taking shots, nailing them and thumps fell to the ground. “Fall back! Fall back!” 

 

“Come on,” Kara hissed and they went ahead. More shots went off and Kara took out her handgun, finishing the rest off. “We got to find an exit.” 

 

“There’s some stairs over here,” Lena said, heading towards them. Kara only grunted as they went down, keeping a careful eye. She reloaded and Lena watched her from behind, guilt flowing through her veins. “Kara, I-”

 

“Shush!” She snapped and crouched low to the ground, moving forward. Lena copied and they took cover behind an old display case. “We’re going to try and get out of here without shooting anymore and to do that, you need to shut up and follow my lead ok?” 

 

Lena nodded and Kara huffed, turning forward. They slowly moved around the room, taking their time as they went through a hallway. Lena looked around and saw some sunshine coming from a blasted open doorway. She tapped Kara and the blonde looked, calming as she saw the exit. It was no more than 20 feet away and there were only a few men in the room next to the doorway. Kara reloaded her gun as a precaution and she scooped the room, going over her options. There were only two, work their way around the men unnoticed or go in guns blazing, signaling more of them. Kara grabbed Lena’s forearm and put the girl in front of her, silently telling her to walk ahead. It would be easier to get her out first, not needing to worry if she got caught. They moved closer to the exit and waited, allowing a few men walk right past them, still unnoticed. Just as they reached the door, a crunch sounded from under Lena’s boot and loud yelling filled the room. 

 

“There they are! Get them!” With the shouted words, Lena and Kara dashed out of the room, gunfire behind them. 

 

“There! That subway!” Kara yelled and Lena ran for it, ducking through the walkway just as shots hit the concrete next to her. Kara was on her heels and Lena followed the path into a room while the blonde stopped. Spores...and Lena had just ran into them. Quickly putting on her gas mask, she went into the room and was yanked to the ground by someone. 

 

“Lena?! Where the fuck is your mask?” She asked, looking the girl up and down. She seemed to be breathing fine besides her obvious panting because of their sprint. 

 

“I told you I was immune,” Lena said. “This is nothing but stale air to me.”

 

“Fucking insane,” Kara whispered, turning away from her. “Let’s find a way out of here.” 

 

“Wait, be careful. There’s some guys in here but just two,” Lena said and Kara nodded, pulling out her knife. She found the first guy and grabbed his neck from behind, jutting her knife right under his chest, straight into his heart. He fell to the ground dead and Kara moved onto the next, cutting his thigh first then stabbing the knife into his skull. 

 

“Come on, before any else show up,” Kara called out, Lena showing up behind her. They climbed through some dilapidated train cars and the old metal creaked under their boots. The particles of the clouded air fogged up Kara’s gas mask and she tried to wipe it off, failing. Fucking spores. As they walked, Kara felt her feet getting heavy and looked down, seeing water. This situation was getting better and better. Soon the water was at her hips and she couldn’t feel the bottom. The blonde turned around and saw Lena staring blankly at the water. “What are you doing? Come on.” 

 

“Kara, I can’t swim,” Lena said fear drenching her words. “Like, like really I’m terrified of water like this.” 

 

Kara stepped in the water and it surrounded her as she kept herself afloat. “Alright just, ugh wait here. I’ll be back…..And take this.”

 

She handed Lena her bookbag and sighed before taking a deep breath, disappearing under the water. With the darkness and the murkiness of the water, Lena couldn’t tell where Kara went. Panic started to rapidly spread through her, watching the small rippling of the element. Seconds passed by like hours and the ambient echoing of the subway started to explode in her mind. She was alone, Kara had drowned under the water. She was going to get found by the military and they were going to kill her. This was it, this was her last stand. Her last breath, her last sight. She squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears, rocking back and forth ever so slightly. 

 

“Lena,” She heard muffled but ignored it. It was just a voice in her head. “Lena, Lena open your eyes!” She flinched at the tone but opened them, seeing Kara in the water. Her hair was pressed to her head and she looked curiously at the younger woman. “I got something, come on.” 

 

“Yeah, yeah ok,” Lena whispered, walking over to the edge. Kara found what looked like a bunch of thick wooden planks that were held together by nails. Lena took a deep breath and carefully stepped on it, the boards creaking and rocking under her. She hissed in fear and Kara put a hand on hers. 

 

“You’re ok, you’re fine. I got you,” Kara said. “We’ll go slow alright?” Lena nodded and Kara started to move, the board floating. “We’re gonna stick close to the side and I want you to tell me if you see any exits ok?” 

 

“Yeah, ok, I can do that,” Lena said, agreeing with anything that would distract her from the water beneath her. Kara bumped her against the standing platform, the water sloshing under her. Lena ignored the shudder that went through her at the sound and looked up, searching for any opens they could fit through. “Kara, I think I see light or something up ahead. Could be an exit.” 

 

“Ok, turn on your flashlight,” Kara said and Lena copied, turning the light on. It flickered a bit before shining brightly. They moved down the edge of the platform until reaching the source of light Lena had found. “Ok, now you’re gonna climb up and see if it’s an exit or not. Easy.” 

 

“Yeah…..easy,” Lena whispered. Kara stopped moving and Lena took a deep breath before climbing onto the platform. The wooden boards creaked and parts broke off, floating off. 

 

“You ok?” Kara said and Lena nodded, shutting her eyes and willing away any tears, not letting the blonde see. “Ok, check out the light.” She let out a shuttering breath and opened her eyes, starting to walk forward. She turned off her flashlight and blinked a bit before finding the light she originally saw. Looking through a narrow doorway, there were was staring up with sunlight shining out. 

 

“Kara, it’s an exit,” She said and Kara cheered to herself.

 

“Good, now see if you can find me something to get out of here. It can be anything,” She said and Lena was already looking. 

 

“Um, I found a ladder or part of one,” Lena said and Kara smiled. 

 

“Cool, great just slide it into the water,” The blonde said back, her voice leading Lena to her. She dropped the ladder into the water as slow as she could. It thudded under the water and Kara began climbing out of it, pulling herself up onto the platform. Her clothes dripped onto the concrete loudly, hanging loosely from her body. She reached for her bag and Lena handed it to her, the blonde snatching it away. “Thanks. Let’s go.” 

 

They climbed up the stairs, Kara leading and leaving wet footprints where she stepped. Lena looked up, wanting desperately to get out of the dark subway. They got to the light and broke through, reaching the outside. Kara pulled off her gas mask, clipping it back to the side of her pants and sitting on a ledge, taking deep breaths. Lena stood further back guilt flowing through her seeing the woman breathing like she had almost died and she almost did. And it was her fault. 

 

“Kara…..I’m so sorry. James, he-”

 

“Shut it right there,” Kara growled, standing. “You do not ever talk about James ok ever! I never want to hear his name from your mouth again, got it? And since I’m stuck you with, for now, you will go by my rules ok? 1, always do what I say, when I say it. Don’t question it. 2, Don’t tell anyone about your ‘gift’ got it? They’ll think you’re crazy and kill you. Three, don’t trust anyone but me. I’m the only person who doesn’t want you dead.” 

 

“Ok, ok. I-I got it,” Lena studdered. 

 

“Repeat it back,” Kara said, pulling her bookbag around to her chest. 

 

“Ok. 1, do what you say when you say it and don’t question it. 2, don’t tell anyone about my immunity and 3, don’t trust anyone but you. You’re the only person who wants to protect me,” Lena said back and Kara nodded. 

 

“Good. Now I want you to go see if you can find some clean water. Don’t go in any houses though, not without me,” Kara said, handing her her canteen. “I’m gonna change out of these clothes.” 

 

Lena nodded, taking it and walking off, her boots skidding against rocks. Kara stood and began undressing and changing into the dry clothes she had in her bag. They were tied up in a plastic bag for good measure and she carefully untied it, putting her wet clothes inside after she rang them out. No use in getting everything else in her bag wet. Just as she got her dry boxers and sports bra on, Lena came back, her boots sounding on the rock.

 

“Whoa, you’re undressed, sorry,” She looked away blushing and Kara almost laughed. 

 

“I don’t care if you look at me, it’s the fucking apocalypse,” She sighed, pulling up some black cargo pants. Lena’s unguarded gaze went from her abs down, blushing harder than before, focusing on Kara’s boxers. 

 

“You...you have a-”

 

“A dick? Yeah, I know,” Kara scoffed, zipping her pants up. “Born with it and that’s that on that.” She pulled a light tan shirt over her chest and took out a dirty what used to be white flannel on, buttoning it halfway. “Come on, if we’re going to get you to my sister’s, we need a faster mode of transportation.”

 

“You mean a car? Where are we going to find a car?” Lena asked. 

 

“I got a guy up north who owes me a few favors. He could get me one,” Kara said, slinging her bag over her shoulders and pushing her gun down the back of her pants. “Let’s go.”


	5. Broken Open

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so, I'm here. I've been getting out of a writer's block so that's why I am so so very late. Hopefully, I'll be back up to speed but not on a schedule. Anyway, I hope you enjoy

Bugs sounded in the air, flying around Lena’s head and she swatted them away with her hands. The warm sunlight shined down on them but a breeze kept them cool as the walked down the paved road. The smell of hot asphalt filled the air, smelling like burnt rubber and gasoline. The humidity in the air and Lena was almost melting out of her clothes when Kara stopped walking.

 

“Finally. Feels like that took forever,” Kara said, stretching her arms. “We’re about to head into town, where my friend lives. But before we go, I wanna warm ya. Stay close to me, be on guard at all times and make as little sound as possible.”

 

“Yeah, yeah ok got it,” Lena said nodded. Kara did too and she jumped over a railing, down onto a tree covered hill. Lena followed, staying close to her side but just far enough to give her some space. 

 

The sounds of birds chirping and bugs filled the small woods as they reached a gate. Kara pulled at it but it stopped, locking by a bar through the handles on the other side. She looked around, seeing no way through. Lena looked up top, seeing a clearing. 

 

“You could boost me up,” Lena said and Kara shook her head. 

 

“No, too risky,” The blonde said, looking around further.

 

“There’s no other way. Just boost me and I’ll unlock it from the other side,” She said, “Come on.” 

 

“Fine, just unlock it though, nothing else,” Kara said, putting her back to the gate. She propped her hands up and Lena stepped on them. Kara boosted her up and the raven-haired girl climbed across, landing on the other side. After unlocking the gate, Kara walked through and they headed down a deserted street, Lena tagging behind. 

 

“So, who’s Alex?” Lena asked, finding a way to start a conversation.

 

“Alex?” Kara said, wondering how she knew the name.

 

“Yeah, Lillian said she was your sister,” Lena said. “And a Cadmus agent?”

 

“She was with Cadmus, a long time ago,” Kara said. “Left them a while back.” 

 

“Hm, and she can help us find them?” Lena asked and Kara nodded. “Ok.”

 

“Ok?” Kara said and Lena hummed. 

 

“Yeah, you just don’t seem like the person who’d be friends with Cadmus,” Lena said. 

 

“I’m not, Alex is my sister and I trust her with my life,” Kara said. “You’ve ever had anyone like that?” 

 

“Yeah but that also ended a while ago,” Lena said soberly. Kara stayed silent, thinking wisely not to bring it up. “So, what’s your friend’s name?”

 

“Her name? Oh, Rhea. And a word of caution, she doesn’t take nicely to strangers,” Kara said. “Kind of hostile once you think about it.” 

 

“A lot of people are like that nowadays, how is she any different?” Lena asked and suddenly a clicker walked in front of them, sounding around. In less than an instant, the clicker was gone, replaced by a loud explosion and rotting pieces everywhere. “Holy fuck!”

 

“Fucking Rhea!” Kara yelled, placing her hand on her chest. “God!” 

 

“She puts up traps? What the hell?!” Lena shouted, leaning against the wall. Her heart was beating out of her chest and suddenly laughter filled the air. “Why are you laughing?” 

 

“Your face. I mean it scared me too but you,” Kara couldn’t finish her sentence as laughter filled her. 

 

“Fuck you man, what the fuck!” Lena screamed. “You’re an asshole.” 

 

Kara smirked and Lena flipped her off, looking away before her blush could show. After they caught their breath, Lena shook off her scares and looked at Kara. The blonde was already walking forward, be it carefully and she started to follow her. Lena gripped her knife defensively and walked faster, trying to catch up to the other woman ahead. They turned down another alley and were met by a large truck with a ladder on top. 

 

“Boost me?” Lena said and Kara sighed, backing up against it. 

 

“Is this gonna become a thing now?” Kara said and Lena stepped in her hands and she hoisted the younger woman up. 

 

“If it’s the only way up then yeah. I can’t lift you,” Lena said, kicking down the ladder. “Plus you’re stronger than me anyway.” 

 

“Got that right,” Kara said, playfully flexing and Lena rolled her eyes. 

 

“Whatever, just get up here.” The ravenette walked off, climbing onto a roof and stopped, looking at the distance. Kara climbed the ladder and joined her, standing and looking outward. The city was dead, no sound but the clicks and chirps of animals. But something about it was oddly peaceful. Maybe it was the sunset shining down, looking like a painted Lena had seen when she was with Cadmus. Kara looked around the scenery and squinted, spotting a smoke tower. 

 

“Bam, right there. That’s her,” She said and Lena looked over. 

 

“I thought you said she was paranoid, why would she have a fire like that? Anyone could see it,” Lena said and they jumped down onto another roof. 

 

“She’s usually alone so probably doesn’t worry her,” Kara said and looked ahead. “Lena, look what I found.” Lena looked at the blonde and saw her holding a bow with a few arrows. 

 

“Where did you find that?” Lena asked, reaching for it but Kara tugged it away. “Seriously?” 

 

“How do I know you’re a good shot?” Kara asked. “Or that you won’t shoot me in the back?”

 

“If I wanted to kill you, I would have and I’m amazing at it. Le….someone in Cadmus taught me,” She said, her voice dipping. “But never mind, let me see it.” 

 

“Uh, no. I want to see just how good of a shot you are,” Kara said and looked around for a target. “There, clicker. If you’re such a good shot, you should be able to kill it with only two arrows.”

 

“I’ll use one,” Lena said and snatched the bow from Kara. She grabbed an arrow and drew it back, taking a deep breath. Pulling it back, the string tightened in her hand and she let go, the arrow flying straight into the clicker’s head and it fell to the ground, letting out low groaning sounds before going silent. “See, perfect shot and only one arrow.” 

 

Kara’s mouth was agape but she shook her head, whispering something to herself and trying to discreetly adjust her pants. “Fine, you can keep it. Just make sure not to run out of ammo.” Lena smirked and hung the bow around her shoulders as they went ahead. Kara pulled the arrow from the clicker and handed it back to Lena who cleaned it off. They started again, scaling and dropping off building until they got to the ground, walking into what looked like an abandoned warehouse. 

 

“The smoke was just ahead so- SHIT!” Kara’s foot was taken up and she hit her head against the ground as she was strung upside down by her foot. 

 

“Kara!” Lena screamed, running to the other woman. She held her face and examined her head, checking for wounds. Luckily there was none open and she was fine. “Come on Kara, wake up. Wake up!” 

 

“Ena?” Kara said groggily and blinked slowly, groaning. “What the? Why am I upside down?” 

 

“I don’t know must be another one of Rhea’s traps. I’ll try to get you down,” Lena said. 

 

“Look for, shit, uh a counterweight. Something that looks heavier than me,” Kara said, trying to sit up but it wasn’t working. Suddenly groaning and growls were heard and Lena looked towards the outside of the warehouse. 

 

“Runners!” She yelled. “Kara!” 

 

“Find the counterweight!” The blonde yelled, taking out her gun and praying she didn’t drop it. Twisting her body so she could see, Kara started firing, missing at first before nailing some of the undead and killing them. “Lena, there! That fridge!” 

 

“Ok!” Lena yelled back and climbed it, starting to cut the rope with her knife. “Kara, more are coming!”

 

“I got them, just keep cutting!” Kara fried off a few more shots but more and more kept coming, almost swarming her. She felt a terrible sense of dread when the hoard that was upon her died down but her gun was empty. If anymore came, she wouldn’t be able to fight them off. But in a flash of hope, her foot loosened and Kara dropped to the group with a groan. She tried to immediately get on her feet but was hit in the back by a runner. The blonde rolled out of the way, trying to stand but the runner hit her again and just when she thought it was about to bite her, a hatchet split its head open and someone helped her up. Rhea. 

 

“Come on you fuckers! We gotta go!” She yelled and started to run out of the warehouse. Kara grabbed Lena’s hand and they took off after her, dodging hoards of runners and clickers. Kara clutched Lena’s hand so hard, she’d have to apologize later for almost breaking it. If they made it to a later. Rhea ran and jumped over a broke down car and the two followed. They all ran into a building after losing the hoard and Rhea slammed a metal door shut. 

 

Lena pulled her hand from Kara and held the blonde’s face, looking in her eye. “Ok? Are you ok?” She asked, looking her up and down. Kara nodded, panted and leaning on her knees. 

 

“Yeah, yeah I’m ok, I’m ok. Are you?” Kara asked back, letting her hands rub over her body, checking for wounds. 

 

“Yeah, yeah none got to me, I’m ok,” Lena said. Kara nodded and sat up, coughing. Beside them, Rhea glared and walked over to them. She took Lena’s hands and before they knew it, the girl was handcuffed to a pipe on the wall. 

 

“Hey! Kara!” Lena yelled, trying to break free.

 

“Rhea what the!” Kara started to yell but met the barrel of a handgun in her face. She slowly put her hands up and stood, staring into the woman’s eyes. 

 

“You come here, set off all my traps! Get on your knees!” Rhea yelled. 

 

“Rhea look just,” Kara was kicked in the back of her knees and fell. Rhea immediately started to search her, taking her eyes off Lena. Just as she allowed Kara to stand, she was struck in the back with a pipe and a furious Lena wielding it. 

 

“Fuck!” Rhea shouted and pointed her gun at Lena. Kara stepped in front of her, guarding her with her arm. “What the fuck are you doing here Kara and why the fuck did you bring her?!” 

 

“I came to have a favor redeemed and put the gun down!” Kara yelled, not letting her guard down or Lena out of her sight. After a few moments, Rhea put down the gun and holstered it. 

 

“Who’s she?” Rhea asked, looking Lena up and down. “And where’s James?” Kara tensed at the mention of his name and let out a breath. 

 

“She’s my partner and James…..James isn’t with me anymore,” Kara said, looking away. The furious look on Rhea’s face dropped but she shook off the feeling. 

 

“Mmm, sad. But still, what are you doing here?” She asked. 

 

“I need a car, Rhea. You said you could get me one,” Kara said and Rhea scoffed. 

 

“So the greek goddess Kara comes into town and I owe her a car? Get the fuck out of here Kara,” Rhea cursed. 

 

“You owe me, Rhea. There are tons of cars around here, you could get them working,” Kara said. “Just this once and you’ll never see me again.” 

 

Rhea growled and sat up. “This once and you’re never in my town again. Never.” 

 

“Never,” Kara repeated and Rhea nodded. 

 

“Let’s go. You better stock up on what you can here cause we’re not coming back,” Rhea said. She walked off and Lena and Kara could take a breath. 

 

“I don’t like her,” Lena said as Kara took the cuff off her wrist. “Fucking cuffed me and pulled a gun on you.”

 

“She had trust issues. Everyone nowadays has them,” Kara said. “But yeah, she is a lot. Let’s just stock up and we can go. Be out of here faster than we arrived.” 

 

Lena grabbed some spare arrows from a shelf and tied them together to her hip. “Fine, let’s go.”


	6. Foresight

Lena trekked behind Kara and Rhea, glaring at the eldest woman’s back and rubbing her thumb over the tip of her knife. Seems Kara knew her more than she let on first. Rhea was unstable and unpredictable and Lena somewhat enjoyed sanity in the people she journeyed with. They were supposedly heading to her hideout to sleep but Lena wanted to get as far away from her as possible. Something about her seemed  _ off  _ and her guard hadn’t dropped since they met. Lena watched Kara closely, allowing her eyes roam over the blonde’s body and green focused on her backside. 

 

Suddenly they stopped and Lena’s eyes shot up to meet Kara’s who looked confused and a look of realization went over her. 

 

“Wait here until I get the door opened,” Rhea said and scaled a wall, heading into a slightly opened window. Crickets chirped around them and Lena felt the summer night’s chill come across her. Lena groaned, her feet pounding underneath her weight and her back aching uncomfortably. She closed her eyes, hearing Kara sigh and the sounds of the forest around them. Rhea’s safe house was an apartment building no more than 3 stories and most of the windows were busted out and vines had grown in their place. The only way in was an alleyway was a tossed over cop car at the entrance. Behind them was a large forest, sounding of animals coming out from all over. Lena didn’t even want to think about was in there but luckily a reinforced fence was blocking the way. 

 

“So,” Kara said, breaking the ambiance. “What do you think of her?” 

 

“I don’t trust her,” Lena said matter-of-factly. “Something about her it off and unsettling.”

 

“That’s just how Rhea is. Don’t worry, we won’t be around her long,” Kara said. “But yeah, I know what you mean. She’s a bit off.” 

 

“Mmm,” Lena hummed. “What’s taking her so long? My feet are killing me.” 

 

“Not used to walking this long?” Kara asked and Lena shook her head. “Yeah, I’ve been in the city mostly until now and they sorta ache. If you want, after we get settled, I can massage them for you. Your back too because you’ve been making faces all day.” 

 

“You noticed that?” Lena said and Kara chuckled. 

 

“Yeah. Your bag too heavy?” The blonde said, walking over. 

 

“Maybe but I think I just adjusted it wrong,” Lena said and Kara grabbed the straps, tightening them. Lena’s back relaxed and she felt much better. “Whoa.”

 

“Better?” Kara said, grinning. “You had it too low down, it’ll hurt after a while but just in case, I won’t take back my offer.” 

 

“Yeah, thanks Kara,” Lena said, smiling back and the blonde blushed a little, scratching her left cheek. 

 

“Uh yeah, no problem,” She said and a loud metallic creak interrupted them. 

 

“If you two are done flirting, come on. I’ll show you to your room,” Rhea said, propping a large metal door open. “Or you can stay out here until dark hits and they start to come out of the woods.” 

 

With that, Kara and Lena rushed inside, the door slamming behind them locked. They followed Rhea down a dimly lit hallway, the floor remarkably clean and the side doors blocked by what looked like old car doors and sheet metal welded together. Kara did say she was paranoid. They were lead to a small room, no bigger than a dorm Lena used to see pictures of in magazines Lillian gave her. There was a small bed pushed up in one corner of the room and a blanket was folded on top of it. 

 

“I have running water somewhat but like not much. Enough for two showers and I already took one. I’ll leave you to figure it out,” Rhea left the room, closing the door behind them and locking it. 

 

“So I guess we’re trapped,” Kara sighed, plopping on the bed. “Least she gave us an extra blanket.” 

 

“Yeah aside from the fact we only have enough water for one shower,” Lena said. 

 

“It’s fine,” Kara said, standing. “You can take it, I don’t mind. I’ll just wait til next time.” 

 

“No, you need it more than me,” The brunette said and Kara laughed. 

 

“Are you saying I stink?” The woman asked, kicking off her boots and setting her bookbag on the ground. 

 

“No, but it wouldn’t hurt,” She said. “And you’ve done so much for you, you should at least have this.”

 

“Lena, it’s fine. You can take this one. I’ll survive on my stinkiness for now,” Kara said, taking her flannel off.

 

Lena rolled her eyes, “Kara-”

 

“It’s that or we shower together,” The blonde said. Lena blushed at the idea and shook her head. 

 

“Fine, I’ll get in,” Lena grumbled, grabbing a change of clothes out of her bookbag. 

 

“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Kara teased and Lena went into the bathroom flipping her off. Kara heard the water start up and the curtain close before getting up and changing. Just slightly changing. She put on a pair of cargo pants and a new t-shirt before laying the extra blanket out on the ground. Just as she laid down, Lena stepped out to of the shower and Kara saw her in the dim light. There was a thick scar on the outside of her left leg and Kara found herself trailing it up until she reached the woman’s face. She saw Lena’s face go from cream to red as she grabbed a shirt, covering her body. 

 

Kara covered her eyes and turned her back quickly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to, it was an accident.” A blush rose on her neck and she ignored the warm feeling spreading throughout her body. 

 

“It’s fine. There wasn’t exactly a door,” She heard Lena say and footsteps passed by her. 

 

“Yeah, I didn’t notice that until now,” The blonde said, uncovering her eyes. Lena was sitting on the bed, rubbing the bottoms on her feet and grimacing. “They still hurt?” 

 

“Yeah, maybe worse. I am not looking forward to tomorrow with all that walking,” She said and sighed. 

 

“I know I offered earlier but do you still want me too?” Kara asked. “Massage them I mean.” 

 

Lena’s cheeks flushed red. “If it's not too much.” 

 

Kara got up and smiled, “Not a problem. Least I can do for my partner.” 

 

“Partner?” Lena said, smirking. “Since when?” 

 

“I guess since you didn’t let me get killed by those walkers even I was trapped.” Kara climbed atop the bed and pulled Lena’s legs onto her lap. She started to gently but firmly knead her thumbs onto the arch of Lena’s foot causing the younger girl to groan. Kara laughed, “I barely even started.” 

 

“Shut up,” Lena sighed and her lips opened slightly as Kara pushed her foot back, causing it to crack and then pressing her thumb into the ball of her foot, forcing out any knots. “Fuck.” 

 

“That good?” Kara asked and Lena nodded her head with closed eyes. Something lifted off the brunette’s shoulders as Kara worked magic with her fingers. Lena was floating on clouds and came crashing back to earth when the blonde pulled away, cracking her fingers. “Sorry, got a cramp.” 

 

“It’s fine, I feel better now,” Lena said, side smiling. 

 

“Really? Then I guess my job is done,” Kara smirked. “Anyway it’s getting darker and if I know by tradition, Rhea likes to wake up as soon as the sun is up. We should get all the sleep we can.” 

 

“Yeah, I agree. Will you um, be ok sleeping on the floor?” Lena asked, looking at the dilapidated, rotting carpet covering in pebbles and rubble. 

 

“It’ll be a pain in my ass but I’ll survive. Better smelly carpet then cold sidewalk,” She joked. 

 

A river of thoughts went through Lena’s head and one managed to pour out. “You could sleep in me, WITH ME! You could sleep in the bed with me.” 

 

“You sure I could fit?” Kara asked and Lena begged herself not to openly stare at the blonde’s muscles showing through her shirt. 

 

“Yeah, we could make it work,” Lena said. “And you’d complain all day that your back is hurting.” 

 

“If I did that, Rhea would make sure to put a shot between my eyes. Alright, I guess I’ll sleep next to you. Lemme just get something together and I’ll join you,” Kara said and Lena nodded. Kara picked up the blanket and stuffed it into her bookbag before laying next to Lena. Lena stiffened but started to relax as Kara stopped moving. Kara’s breath tickled against the back of Lena’s neck as she whispered. “Good night Lena.” 

 

Lena shuddered and squeezed her eyes shut, “Good night Kara.”

 

*** * ***

 

Hoards of infected chased after them, biting and snapping as they got closer. Kara held onto Lena’s hand, dragging her along as they followed behind Rhea who happened to be what seemed like miles ahead. Lena’s bookbag pounded against her back as they ran along, footsteps trampling behind them. Racing through Kara’s mind,  _ keep her safe, you have to keep her safe, _ as they bolted down the road avoiding charging infected that were ahead of them and the hoard. 

 

“There! That school!” Rhea shouted from in front and Kara spotted it in the distance. She just had to make it there, they had to make it. Kara pushed herself faster and swung Lena in front of her, pushing her ahead. They ran faster than their feet could take them barely making along until they reached the school. Most of the doors and windows were boarded up but Rhea managed to squeeze herself under a door and Lena was already there, making it under. Kara dashed as a hand slapped down on her shoulder, almost pulling her in. She yelled, pulling away and sliding under the door, Rhea slamming it after. Kara slumped against a table, panting heavily and looking around. Her eyes hazed over and exhaustion, veering on passing out before a slap came to her face, waking her up. 

 

“Your girl wants you,” Rhea said, squatting in front of her. She stood and walked off, leaving Kara on her own. Kara pushed herself up, looking around and locking eyes with Lena on the other side of the room. They rushed over to each other and Kara examined her, looking her over. 

 

“Are you ok? Did they get you?” The blonde asked, an overwhelming sense of calm coming over her by being next to her. 

 

“No, no I’m fine. Are you ok?” Lena asked. “I saw one almost got you.” 

 

“Yeah, yeah I’m good. No bites or cuts,” Kara said. “I’m glad you’re ok.” 

 

“Yeah,” Lena said breathlessly and Kara couldn’t place if it was because of the running or something else. “Me too.” 

 

“Yo, love-dorks, we’re going this way,” Rhea said and set off, leaving them behind. Kara growled and mumbled something under her breath before taking Lena’s head and following after her.

 

Rhea stomped ahead, cutting down any wandering infected, leading them down a hallway. Glass shattered under her boots, sound echoing through the halls and Kar winced with every drop. 

 

“Don’t you know how to be quiet?” The blonde hissed at the older woman. “There could be clickers everywhere.” 

 

“If there is, I can handle them,” Rhea said, her voice bouncing off the walls. “You act like you can’t just shoot them.”

 

“We like to spare our ammo and hoards could swarm us if we’re not careful,” Kara said, taking out her knife. “Lena, come with me, we’re gonna look for some supplies.” They started to walk off. 

 

“Where are you going?” Rhea shouted at a whisper. “You’re gonna get lost.” 

 

“If anything goes wrong, we’ll meet at the gym,” Kara said and turned back to Lena. “Let’s go.” Kara stormed off and Lena followed. They went down an adjacent hallway and Kara growled, walking into a classroom. “She’s reckless, impulsive and just a fucking maniac.” 

 

“I thought you were friends?” Lena questioned. 

 

“Not even close. We were in a group before and did favors for each other before it split,” Kara told. “Anyways managed to get on my nerves and in my pants.” 

 

“You used to be with her?” Lena said in surprise. 

 

“Not like that, it was just sex. We were the only women in that group,” Kara said. “I’ve never had feelings for her if that’s what you’re thinking.”

 

Lena’s shoulders relaxed and she hummed. “I wasn’t but good to know.” Kara didn’t respond and started to look around, opening cabinets and drawers. Lena followed her lead, doing the same on the other side of the room. She could feel Kara’s tenseness like it was a noose around her neck and it was only getting tighter with each huff the blonde was letting out. They walked alongside the edges of the room before meeting in the middle. Kara looked anywhere but Lena, trying to calm herself down. Lena placed her hand on Kara’s and rubbed her thumb on the other girl’s knuckles. 

 

“Look, we’re just here until we get the car and we’re leaving. You just have to survive a few more hours,” Lena said and Kara fell into her eyes, huffing. 

 

“Fine, just a few more hours,” She said. “Let’s go find where she went.” They left the classroom, heading down the hall. 

 

“Do you think they were in school when it hit?” Lena asked, her quiet whisper barely heard. 

 

“Maybe,” Kara said, looking around. Bookbags and papers were stranded around the hallways and strewn open lockers were empty, graves of the people who once were. “It seems like it.” 

 

“It’s a small town, how do you think it happened?” Lena said, stepping over a discard plastic bottle which had been long emptied. 

 

“A teacher, student maybe,” Kara sighed. “One minute they were acting normal and the next….history.” Lena sighed and they fall back into silence, walking along. 

 

Sun peeked through slits in boarded windows and dust drifted past, sparkling like glitter in water. Low groans were accompanied by the beautiful songs of birds outside who were flying free. Abandoned homework was thrown on the ground and next to it was freshly grown flowers, thriving in the scattered sunlight that broke in from the shattered skylight above. Disruptive peace, something Lillian always used to say when they were out. The mixture of chaos and perfection, combing to be something special. 

 

“Hey?” Kara said, causing Lena to look. “You ok?” 

 

“Yeah, just thinking about something, it’s not important,” She said and waved her hand

 

“Ok. Rhea’s up ahead so let’s go.” They caught up to the older woman who looked a mixture of annoyed and relieved. “What is it?”

 

“I gotta mixture of good news and bad,” Rhea said. “Good news, I got you a car, bad news…….it’s not here.” 

 

“It’s not here? What do you mean it’s not here?” Kara asked. 

 

“I know where it is, we just need to get there. It’s not far, I promise,” Rhea told her. “Just a little longer.” 

 

“A little longer is like a century with you. Where’s the car?” Lena asked. 

 

“Across the street. I already found us a way out and it’s clear of little to no infected,” She said. “We have to hurry though, it might not last long.” 

 

“Fine, let’s just go,” Kara said, taking Lena’s hand again and following Rhea down the hall to double doors which here opened slightly. They walked out and Kara spotted the car immediately. It looked like a truck, relatively good quality and driveable. Once they reached the truck, Lena quickly got into the passenger seat, shutting the door and sighing. 

 

“You were unbearable,” Kara said, facing the other woman. “But thank you for this and as I promised, I’m out of your hair.” 

 

“I never want to see you again,” Rhea said. “Or her. Never tell anyone of this, got it?”

 

“Yeah, I got it, Rhea. Thanks again.” Kara patted her shoulder and got in the driver’s seat, looking around for keys before Lena handed them to her. 

 

“They were in the glove compartment. Seems like whoever had it before us didn’t want to lose them.” 

 

“Yeah, I guess.” Kara stuck the keys in and looked over at the other woman. “Ready?” 

 

“More than I’ll ever be.”


	7. Pittsburgh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Graphic violence and mentions of cannibalism. If you've seen this game, you know and I also have the warning in the tags

Low country music played throughout the car, waking Lena from her light sleep. Kara tapped her finger along the side of the steering wheel, humming. The sun shined bright through the stained windows and ahead, Lena could make out a city. There was a bridge just along the horizon which looked like the main way out. 

 

“Shit,” She heard Kara say and the car stopped. Sitting up, she looked ahead and saw cars clogging the runway, blocking the road. To the left, a down ramp into the city surrounding them and she saw concern flash across the blonde’s face. “Fuck it, guess we’re going to Pittsburgh.” The truck turned and they headed down the ramp which was surprisingly clear, cars thrown and turned over on the sides. Suddenly Kara slammed on the brakes and gripped her gun, face hardening. 

 

“Give a warning next ti-” Lena said but looked ahead, seeing something limping towards them. It wasn’t a walker but a man, holding his stomach. 

 

“Help, help me,” He cried, dragging himself along. 

 

“Hold on to something,” Kara said under her breath, switching the gear and gripping the steering wheel.

 

“He’s hurt Kara, we need to help him,” She says. 

 

“Oh no, he’s not even limping.” Kara slammed on the gas, lurching the truck forward and suddenly, the man wasn’t that hurt anymore. He pulled out a gun and started shooting, people hopping out from the cars around him. Bullets flex through the windshield and Kara reached, holding herself and Lena down as they drove through and over them. Metal hit against metal on the car and just when they thought they were clear, a bus came rushing down a hill, slamming into Lena’s side, crashing them into a store. 

 

Everything was hazy for a few moments until Kara groaned, snapping Lena out of it. 

 

“I’m ok, I’m good,” Lena said, sighing. Kara pushed herself up, holding her side and groaning. 

 

“Good, cause you need to get out quick. Go.” Just as Lena reached to open the door, someone beat her to it, grabbing her arm and tugging her out. She screamed, kicking at him but an elbow went around her neck, dragging her down. 

 

“Kara!” She screamed, trying to break from his grip but he kicked the back of her knees, causing her to scream louder and choke against his arm. “Kara!” 

 

The blonde went into high gear, forcing the door open and getting out only to be hit by a metal pipe over the back. With quick thinking, she took out her knife and slashed the man’s knees, causing him to cry out but not stop. He hit her again, pulling her up by her ponytail and forcing her over to a window with a large shard of glass sticking out. He forced her down, pressing on the back of her neck with his arm. Kara’s eyes widened and a kick of adrenaline coursed through her as she felt a slice get at her neck. Repositioning her hands and getting a good grip, Kara pushed back and hit her head against his, causing him to stumble where she reversed it and forced his mouth onto the spike, sending it right through his head. 

 

Catching her breath, she heard a scream from behind her and saw Lena thrown down and kicked. “Kara!” She yelled and the blonde ran out, sending her knife through the attacker’s shoulder and grabbing him, bashing his head against an end of a table, over and over and over. After he was down, she helped the girl up, looking her over. 

 

“I’m ok, he didn’t get much in, I’m ok,” Lena said and Kara nodded. They moved over to the truck, grabbing their bags out and strapping them on. 

 

“Come on, we gotta go, we don’t have much time,” She said and Lena nodded before her face morphed into fear. 

 

“Get down!” She yelled and gunshots rang out, hitting near them. They scrambled behind cover and Kara pulled her gun out, firing back. She managed to get two in the head before more came, spreading out. She ducked down and looked Lena in the eye, putting a hand to her mouth, pointing behind her. The brunette turned around, seeing an open doorward and nodded, getting the message and started crawling the other direction, towards a back exit. They listened to the stomp of boots and the crush of broken bottles on the ground and trod lightly, watching their step. 

 

Kara switched her gun to a bat, opting not to waste bullets when she didn’t need to. Just as they watched a door, someone pulled her back, shouting “I found them!” Kara swung her back, shattering his ankles and bashed his head in with the back. Robbing him of ammo just as the rest started shooting at them. So much for saving ammo. Kara fired back, missing a few times but the rest, hitting them in shoulders and head. She panted, taking down the few that were rushing towards her while Lena sunk out the side door only to be grabbed by two men. 

 

“We got one”! They shouted and Kara watched them through a window before sprinting out and tackling one of them. She yelled as she plunged her knife in his gullet, twisting and pulling it out, repeating the motion before the light left his eyes. She got up, her hand stained and spotted Lena, being pulled along by the other one. Raising her gun, she carefully aimed, firing and hitting him in the back, knocking him down. She stormed over, pushing Lena away from him and started to pound her fist into his face, blood hitting against her fist. 

 

After catching her breath, Lena ran to Kara’s side, using all her might to pull her off the now dead man. Her touch shocked Kara out of it and she jumped up, walking off and huffing. They both panted, looking at each other, staring into their eyes. Concern showed clear in Kara’s eyes mixed with anger and something Lena couldn’t place. After a quiet moment, Kara sat up and walked over to her, looking her over. 

 

“Are you ok? Did they hurt you?” She asked, a genuine touch in her voice. So gone was the malice that had overtaken her. 

 

“Mhm, I’m ok. A little banged up but ok. What about you?” Blood was dripping from a cut on Kara’s forehead and the adrenaline was dying, now letting her feel it. 

 

“Alright, just tired. But we can’t stay here, more will come eventually,” She said. “Search them quickly, take ammo, supplies. I’ll look for a way outta here.”

 

“Ok, I’ll meet you back here soon,” Lena said and Kara nodded, them splitting ways. She saw Kara slip into an alley and rumbling from her direction. Lena set off back towards the truck and store, taking anything salvageable. She picked the bodies of the ammo left in their guns and whatever boxes that they had on them. Deciding she’s swept all of the area, she heads back to where she heard Kara, finding her lifting a metal garage door up. 

 

“Through here, come on,” She strained and Lena acted fast, crawling under the door. “Find something to keep it open.” Lena searched around, finding the chain that lifted the door up. Knowing she wasn’t strong enough to hold it up herself, she jumped, grabbing the chain before landing on the ground. That gave Kara enough time to sneak up and they both set it down almost silently. The brunette sighed, brushing her hair back into a ponytail and turned around, gasping at the sight before her. 

 

“What?” She said breathlessly, covering her mouth in awe. Bodies hung on meat hooks, blood dripping into overflowing buckets on the ground. Skinned bodies sat on cars, eye gouged out and tongues cut to a nub. Her stomach stirred and the next thing she knew, she was doubled over stomach emptying. Kara came up behind her, holding her hair up and patting her back, sighing. How was she not affected by this? After she finished, Kara wiped her mouth with her sleeve and placed her hand on her hips. 

 

“Hunters. I should have known,” She said. 

 

“Hunters? They hunt humans?” Lena questioned. “For what, food?” 

 

“Yeah. They say it’s their only way to survive. I’m sorry you had to see this,” Kara said. “Let’s get outta here. The further the better.” 

 

They made their way through the makeshift meat locker, heading out through a window onto a grassy field. It wasn’t actually a filed, just overgrown weeds retaking the land a freeway destroyed. Longer strands made their way into cars but it wasn’t a sense of death they left. It was life reborn. Until a gunshot rang out and they had to duck behind one of the cars.

 

“You’re a shit shot,” They heard someone laugh and the other person scoffed.

 

“You try hunting something that isn’t as big as you for the first time,” They said jumping down to the level Kara and Lena were at. Lena tapped at her back, motioning to a tunnel they could sneak through that would avoid another camp. Kara nodded and lead the way, allowing Lena to hold onto her bookbag. They managed to silently sneak past the men, ducking into the tunnel and blocking the way with a plank, laying it silently. Once they heard the talking stop, they continued moving, getting as much distance between them and the hunters. 

 

The tunnel ended with light and just saw Kara was about to step out, she was yanked back in by Lena who placed a hand over her mouth and pointed ahead to what looked like two people. It was two people, a man and a woman dragging each other along. Blood was leaking from the woman’s leg and the man was almost picking her up but didn’t have enough strength. 

 

Lena urged to help them but Kara kept a grip on her arm, holding her in place. Suddenly, the ground started the rumble and they ducked behind a car that was partially blocking the tunnel. A large truck with a gun mounted on the top came into view and Lena held her breath as people came out from it. Machine guns fired, knocking the two down, killing them within an instant. 

 

“Search the area, make sure there are not any stragglers.” One of them yelled out and they split up. Two hunters headed towards them, guns armed and the duo pulled out their knives, ready to be found. Just as the hunters got closer a call stopped them. “We got a call about the other group. Two women managed to take them all out, they’re gone.” 

 

“They can’t be far, come on,” They hit the truck and everyone got back in the truck and it went off the direction they came. 

 

“We gotta move quick and smart. See those building?” Kara said, pointing to various skyscrapers in the distance. “Those are most likely where normal people are hiding out if any at all. If we can make it there by nightfall, we can be to the bridge by tomorrow night.” 

 

“You think anyone will be there?” Lena asked and Kara sighed. 

 

“I’m not sure. Maybe, maybe not. But we can’t worry about that now, we just need to make it there,” The blonde said and Lena nodded. “Stay close to me and we’ll make it through.” Kara gripped her hand lightly before letting go and stepping out into the road. All signs of the hunters were gone except for the two dead. Kara’s moral compass wouldn’t let her loot them, it just would be wrong. They crossed the street and scaled down the overpass onto ground level. 

 

The sun started to set, casting a red-orange glow onto the city which Lena would have found beautiful if it wasn’t for the impending feeling of danger all around her. Her feet ached under her the closer they got to the building and even with Kara saying it wouldn’t be much longer, it still felt like forever. But instead of suffering in silence, she decided to start a conversation. 

 

“Tell me something about yourself,” She said and Kara turned her head, interest peeked.

 

“Like what?” Kara said. “There’s not much to know.” Lena chuckled.

 

“Still, I want to know. We’ve been traveling together for a bit but I don’t even know your middle or last name.” 

 

“Kara Zor-el Danvers. What about you?” She said smirking. 

 

“Lena Kieran Luthor,” She said, messing at her nails. “My mother was Irish.” 

 

“Mine was American. My family was born and raised in Midvale. It’s a small town by Vancouver in Canada. They moved down to Kansas to adopt me since I lived with my older cousin.” 

 

“You were adopted? So was I,” Lena said. “Never really got to talk to someone who’s been through similar stuff.” 

 

“Yeah, it was a lot. My parents died in a car crash and the next thing I knew, I had a sister and new parents. My cousin basically dumped me with them and I haven’t seen him since.” 

 

“You had it better than me. At least you had a family. My mother died when I was four and my father adopted me into his real family. My brother, Lex, raised me and my mother hated me. She still does, that’s why she sent me with you,” She said, sighing. 

 

“Wait, your mother is Lillian? Your mother is the leader of the fireflies?” Kara said, mouth gaping. 

 

“Adopted mother, she doesn’t even like me calling her mom, let alone mother. We have an estranged relationship that only got worse when my father and brother died,” She explained. The sun had long set and darkness surrounded them. 

 

“How’d they die? If it’s not too much to ask,” She said and Lena looked away. 

 

“My father, he got bit once the world started turning into shit. After that, Lillian took it almost herself to start the Fireflies. Said that they were going to be used to help refugees and turn them into people that can defend themselves. They’re now like a military, fighting against the real military. Anyway, long story short, she sent me and my brother to a military camp to get real training and one dumb idea after another and Lex is dead and I'm bitten.”  Tears welled in Lena’s eyes and she wiped them away. “Now I’m with you. And I’m still getting people killed, like James.” 

 

Kara stopped, putting her hands on Lena’s shoulders and forcing her to look her in the eye. 

 

“James…..James wasn’t your fault. It would,” She sighed, letting go. “It would have happened sooner or later, we were reckless. It’s just how the world works now.”

 

“It shouldn’t be like this, not at all. James should be alive or at least cured and I’m the reason he and Lex are gone. That’s why I’m so determined to get to the lab. If I can just get there, I can help people. I could save people instead of being the death of them. It’s just something I have to do, I hate to do it.” The determination in her voice was enough to make Kara shutter. 

 

“I promise I’ll get you there, safe. I won’t let anything happen to you, I swear.” Kara took Lena’s hand and kissed it, smiling before letting it drop to her side. Lena tried to ignore the rapid beating of her heart and the flood of blood in her ears. Silence fell back upon them but this time it didn’t bother either of them as much. They moved along the road until a familiar rumbling started up again and they ducked into a building just in time for the truck to come up exactly where they were.

 

“Search! They have to be here,” One of them called out and the truck started patrolling. 

 

“We need to get high, fast,” Kara whispered, pointing to a building up. “It’s the one place they can’t reach us.” 

 

“There’s a fire escape. We just need to make it past the truck,” Lena whispered, pointing to a crumbling and rusted fire escape which was barely held together but they could make it up. “Come on.”

 

They snuck between cars and into a shop, stepping over broken glass until Kara’s boot crunched a piece, sound alerting the walking hunters around them. 

 

“Search there,” Someone shouted and Kara signaled, both of them jetting towards the fire escape. Loud thundering shots rang out, hitting the brick of the wall near them and Kara boosted Lena up just in time before more shot, hitting the brick where they were. They scrambled up the stairs, running as fast as their legs could take them. The metal pounded under their feet but not as loud as the pounding shots of the turret under them. But the higher they got, the further the shots got. Soon they couldn’t reach them but Lena and Kara didn’t stop running. 

 

They ducked into a building, rushing through it before exiting onto another fire escape. They heard the tires getting closer but the stairs lead to nowhere. Beside them was a thing ledge but it looked strong enough to hold their weight if they went one at a time. Kara place a finger over her mouth then pointed at the ledge. Across from it was another piece of fire escape that lead to an open window they could get into. Lena frantically shook her head but the truck came closer, rumbling getting louder. Kara mouthed, “You have to go” and Lena cursed before stepping onto the ledge. 

 

Once her feet were on it and the only thing holding her up was herself, she felt much higher than she previously thought. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she started to shuffle, carefully moving across. 

 

Below her, hunters flooded the street and alleyway, searching wherever they could. It wouldn’t be much longer until they looked up so she had to move faster. Her boots scraped against the concrete creating a cloud of light dust and she looked behind, seeing that the open window was a hop and a skip away. But she could make it. Lena reached and with a small prayer, she jumped. Metal hit against her boots and she clutched rebar, stabilizing herself. She made it. 

 

Following behind her, Kara made her way. Being slightly larger, the ledge cracked under her weight. It wouldn’t hold out much longer. She sped up, creating dust that fell and if it made it all the way down, the hunters would know. Her hands gripped the wall as tight as she could, creating small scratches. Just a little further. She looked to where Lena was and saw no sight of the girl. Something was wrong. Kara picked up her pace, reaching the ledge in seconds. Without thinking, she jumped over and rushed inside which ended in being punched in her side then the face. She heard Lena grunted and struggle and got back up only to be put in a chokehold. The person doing it didn’t have a good hold so she threw them over her back and slammed them into the ground, quickly punching them in the gut. 

 

“Kara!” She heard Lena yell and looked up to see a gun in her face with a small boy behind it. There was fear in his eyes but the gun in his hands shook like he wouldn’t be able to fire it if he had to. 

 

“Whoa, whoa, just put the gun down,” Kara said, slowly getting off the man and putting her hands up. Lena got behind her and did the same. “Chill out, we don’t want any trouble.” 

 

“Put the gun down,” She heard the man say and he groaned, turning over. “They’re not hunters.” The boy hesitated before lowering it, allowing Lena and Kara to do the same. The man next to her got up and walked over to the boy, standing next to him. 

 

“Hunters don’t keep kids. Who are you?” Kara asked, not lowering her guards. Just because they weren’t cannibals doesn’t mean they weren’t dangerous. 

 

“Well they don’t allow women either, who are you?” The older one said, nodding his head at Lena’s drawn knife. She folded it back into its case and placed it in her pocket. 

 

“Lena,” She said, softly smiling at him and the boy. “And this is Kara.”

 

“Now you?” She said, crossing her arms. He sighed. 

 

“Henry and this is my younger brother Sam. We came from a group, trying to pass through here,” Henry explained, sticking his hand out to shake. Kara didn’t take it. 

 

“Where’s the rest of your group? They’re obviously not here.”

 

“Hunters ambushed us, we got split up. Right now, we’re trying to make it through without getting killed or eaten. Or both,” Henry said. 

 

“Our groups most likely dead,” Sam said with a dark realism in his voice and Henry nudged him. 

 

“Quiet. You don’t know that.” They turned to the girls. “What’s your story?”

 

“Passing through, same as you,” Kara said. “Had a truck but got sidetracked when a bus rammed into us. Just trying to get out of here.” 

 

“We could help each other,” Lena said with hope in her voice and Kara glared at her. 

 

“Lena…”

 

“Safety in numbers, Lillian always told me.” She had a pout on her face that Kara found hard to resist.

 

“She’s right,” Henry chimed in. “We could help each other. We found a hideout not far from here. It’ll be safer if we head there.” 

 

Kara hummed and glared at Lena once more before turning to the brother duo. “Fine. Take us there.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't change the names of the brothers cause I couldn't find anyone from Supergirl to play them so they're just Henry and Sam. Hope you enjoyed, leave your suggestions in the comments below.


	8. It Hungers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm late, again. I have nothing to say for myself expect for sorry and chapter warnings. 
> 
> Extreme violence, blood and Gore, child death and suicide. I'll bold and italic where that starts

Lena was by her side, almost touching but kept a small bit of distance between them. They walked behind the two brothers, keeping a close eye but also letting their guard down, relaxing. No one who traveled with a kid had the mindset to attack and put that kid in danger. According to the older one, they were nearing the safe house which was at least ten stories up in a rotting skyscraper. Abandoned briefcases and panoramas of a new business district littered the room they walked through until the pair stopped at a locked door.

 

“Where’d you manage to get the key for that?” Kara asked, a tired husk replacing her normal voice.

 

“Took it off one of the guys we killed. Pretty good place and look-” Henry opened the door and they faced a small threshold of food in cans. “Plenty of rations. Help yourself but before, come here, I gotta show you something.” He looked at Kara and she and Lena shared a look. Nodding at her partner, Kara followed him to a window, looking down.

 

“We’re by their basecamp. Every day they patrol out there, guarding that gate. It leads to the bridge, our escape,” Henry explained. He placed his hand on Kara’s shoulder and pointed out. “The truck is usually gone at night, hunting or whatever they do. That’s when we need to move.”

 

Kara nodded, “Ok but I got a few questions for you. What are you doing out here by yourself with him?”

 

“We got split from our group. Ambushed by the raiders. Sam wants to find them but I decided to just head for Cadmus instead,” He said and Kara balled up her face.

 

“Cadmus? Seems like a lot of people taking their side lately. Will that be good for your brother?”

 

“How about I look after my brother and you take care of your girl, friend, girlfriend or whatever,” He said, his threat dying as he stuttered.

 

Kara scoffed. “Keep the threats for someone who’s afraid. All I’m saying is keep an eye on him, their heads are more fragile than ours. Maybe we can handle the stuff we see and do but to him, it’ll be horrific.”

 

Henry was quiet, looking back at his brother. The boy was chatting Lena’s head off and the woman was smiling, laughing along. A look of concern flashed clearly across his face and Kara pat his back.

 

“Don’t worry it too much. Just make sure to check on him every now and then, but not just for physical wounds,” She said.

 

“Yeah,” He whispered. “Yeah, thanks.”

 

“No problem. If it’s ok with you, I’m going to try and get some sleep before we move. Wake me when you’re ready,” Kara said and walked over to a rolling chair with missing wheels. Lena eyed her from across the room, raising an eyebrow then catching on when the blonde yawned. Soon, slept overtook Kara and a light snore was left in her place. Lena watched her chest rise and fall and how the girl shuffled, trying to get comfortable. Her legs crossed and uncrossed until her body fell still, slightly moving with each breath. Lena let her eyes roam down Kara’s body, looking over her arms tensed and muscles flexing through the thin fabric of her shirt. She reached the dark torn jeans that the blonde had obviously worn for years before this point, focusing on the cross of her legs. Her breath hitched when Kara unknowingly uncrossed and crossed her legs again, presenting the budge she kept hidden.

 

The brunette didn’t know how long she was staring until fingers snapping in her face caught her attention.

 

“Hey, I asked you a question,” Sam said and she looked at him.

 

“Sorry, what was it again?” Lena asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

“I said how’d you meet her? You guys aren’t sisters.” His eyes were open and wide full of curiosity like you’d expect from a kid his age but they were also flashing and unfocused like he was keeping watch at all times.

 

“She’s my partner. We’ve been traveling together for a few weeks,” Lena explained. “We’re just trying to get through this city.”

 

“Yeah, us too,” The boy said. “We had a big group but we got lost when we first came here. Henry is just trying to get us back to them now.”

 

“A big group, that sounds nice. Were their other kids like you there?” Lena asks and he nods.

 

“Yeah, I have a close friend named Jacob, he and me were attached at the hip, that’s what his mom always said. His mom used to hang around Henry, I think he liked her.” The boy kept talking and Lena listened somewhat distracted by the exhaustion that was now boring down on her. Before she knew it, she joined Kara in the deep blank abyss of rest.

 

*** * ***

 

Lena was shaken awake by a known voice in her ear, whispering for her to get up. Kara had her hand on her shoulder and her face was looking towards the door. Lena shook the sleep off herself and stood, reaching her bow which was still hanging for her shoulder. Kara put a finger over her lips and Lena nodded, taking aim towards the front door. Banging sounded for outside it and Lena looked around to see Henry standing by a support column with his knife out and Sam was hiding underneath a turned table.

 

Kara moved herself and Lena over to cover where they waited until it finally opened. She held her breath as the doorknob fell off, signaling their entrance. Letting an arrow fly straight between one of the hunter's eyes, pinning him down and Henry taking out another, pungling his knife through their skull. Kara ran ahead, jumping and forcing her knife down into a hunter’s head before kicking back, knocking another to the group and stabbing.

 

“We need to move now, strip them of any ammo you can and move it,” Henry said and Kara already acted, piling the bodies in a corner after stripping them clean.

 

“Stay low to the ground and move faster. They’re be looking for Infected so we need to move faster than them,” Kara said and they nodded. Henry leads them down the stairs, listening as hunters were entering and exiting. There was a back exit which Kara had her eyes on, leading to the more unguarded side of the gate. They carefully snuck past the hunters, hearing them chat about the “meat” that had escaped today. They moved outside, hiding behind turned over garbage cans and rotted cars, watching groups pass by.

 

“There’s our exit!” Henry whispered, pointing at it. There was an old door leading behind the closed gate. They just needed to make it there. Taking it slowly, Henry and Sam lead with Kara and Lena following behind. Crossing the street as silently as they could, they reached the door. A thick chain was tied to the handle complete with a large lock. “Sam! Come ‘ere, unlock it.” The small boy moved to the front, taking out an old screwdriver and a large thin metal rod. He squatted near the lock and began, moving quickly. The lock sprung open after a few tries and Henry pushed his brother in, following after him.

 

Kara moved Lena in front of her and just as the blonde stepped through the door, her hair was yanked back and she was thrown on the ground. There were hard pounds to her stomach and chest, taking the air out of her. Tearing blurring her vision, she barely saw a bat swing at her face and with a burst of adrenaline, she rolled, barely dodging the impact but feeling the full force hit the ground next to her.

 

“Kara!” She heard Lena yelled and saw the younger girl rush out and tackle the man, wrestling for the bat. Kara, gaining her strength back, stuck her knife into his skull, ending the tussle. In front of them, Kara heard the metal door creak, seeing Henry and Sam waiting anxiously. Behind the girls was the next rush of hunters and further down was the armored truck from earlier. They needed to move.

 

“Wait!” Lena cried to the brothers just as Henry’s face hardened and the door slammed shut. The women bounced to their feet, trying to run towards it, hearing a smooth sound just as they reached it. Kara tried with all her might to break it open but the door was jammed from the other side. A shot went off next to her head, nipping at her ear and they ducked, running the other direction.

 

“Lena, run!” She shouted, following behind the other woman, racing down the street. Behind them, they heard the distinct rumble and felt the shaking of the ground as the truck started speeding up. Loud, cycling shots went off in their direction. “Look for an open door, anything!” Kara shouted, panting heavily and grabbing the other woman’s hand. Lena gripped it tight and spared a look at the other woman for a moment.

 

Blood ran down the left side of her face, coming from her ear, a piece chipped off from the shots fired. That was going to be a bitch to heal if they got out of this that is. Looking past the blonde’s face, Lena squinted her eye and saw a small opening in a fence large enough for both fo them to escape through but not for the truck to follow.

 

“Follow me!” Lena yelled, crossing in front of Kara, causing the woman to almost trip. She quickly caught up, seeing the opening ahead. Racing towards it, they managed to reach it before the truck could slow down, ducking into the alleyway just before it swerved by.

 

“Go go go!” Kara yelled, boosting Lena up over the fence. The woman fell down the other side and opened it just enough for Kara to get inside. Behind them they were the truck come up and take off, trying to get as much distance between them and the death machine as possible. The women ran as fast as their legs could take them, reaching a down ramp that led to a small enclosure of houses, some suburbs. Catching their breath, they quietly walked down it, leaning against each other tiredly.

 

“Are you ok?” Kara weakly whispered and Lena nodded.

 

“Yeah but right now I want to lay down and rest. My feet are killing me again,” She said. Kara chuckled.

 

“Want me to massage them for you again?” She joked and Lena smiled.

 

“Maybe but I have to take care of you first,” She said. “Come on, there’s a house ahead we can set in for the night.”

 

They weakly stumbled up some stairs, scaring off whatever rats or possums that now lived there. Lena creaked the door open slowly, seeing and hearing no signs of infected. She laid Kara down on an old couch and began to search the house. Lucky it was one-story so Lena could explore without leaving Kara’s line of sight. There were only three rooms, doors ajar before they entered. Lena carefully peeked inside them, looking around. There were no signs of Infected, let alone regular people. After she figured the coast was clear, she started to search for any supplies anyone had missed. In the only bathroom, there was a grimy mirror cabinet which had some pills and cleaning alcohol. Taking them and some candles she found, Lena made her way back to the living room where Kara was waiting. She lit the candles, placing them on a table beside the couch.

 

“We’re in the clear. As long as we stay quiet and keep the doors shut, no infected or hunters will know we’re here,” She said and Kara grunted, nodding. “I got some stuff to clean your ear. It might sting though.”

 

“I don’t mind,” Kara said trying to position herself correctly. She tried to sit up but groaned, clutching her side. “Fuck.”

 

“Don’t move,” Lena said, looking over her. “I’m gonna take your shirt off, check for wounds.” Kara nodded and whimpered, shrugging her bookbag off and to the floor. She feebly raised her arms, body aching in protest as Lena began to pull her shirt off. “Sorry, sorry I’ll be done soon.” They dropped the torn and stained garment on the ground and Lena looked over her body. Dark bruises polka-dotted her naturally tanned skin and a gash under her right breast had blood drying around it. Kneeling beside the couch, she took a relatively clean cloth, poured some alcohol onto it and began cleaning the cut. Kara hissed, arching away from it and gripping Lena’s hand. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to press down that hard. It’s just hard to reach and see from this angle.”

 

“Straddle my lap,” Kara rasped. “Easier to see and reach.”

 

Lena was glad it was still sorta dark and Kara’s eyes were half closed. She was sure her blush lit up her face like a neon sign. “I don’t want to put any pressure on you.”

 

“Your pressure is better than a metal bat hitting me over and over,” Kara said. She looked up and met Lena’s eyes with a gentle stare. She laid her hand on Lena’s and rubbing her knuckles, smiling. “I promise I’ll be fine.”

 

After a few minutes of silent contemplating, Lena sighed. “Fine but if I hurt you, kick me off immediately.”

 

“You got it. Take your boots off,” Kara said and Lena nodded. She untied them and placed them beside the couch along with her jacket before taking a deep breath and placed one leg on the other side of Kara’s body. She carefully set herself down on the blonde’s lap, folding her legs either side of her. Kara’s hands went weakly to her thighs and her fingers twitched against her pants. Lena grabbed the cloth, ignoring the rising heat on her face and leaned down, began to clean her cut again. Kara hissed once more but didn’t flinch away, allowing for the ravenette to continue. Once it was and not bleeding anymore, she placed a torn piece of cloth over it, wrapping it around her body gently. She let her hands rest on the spot before looking up at Kara’s face. Her eyes were fluttering open and closed like she was fighting sleep. Her ear had longed stopped bleeding, allowing Lena to see it somewhat better. A hole was straight through the top of her ear and it was already starting to scab up. She moved quickly and directing pouring alcohol over her head.

 

“Ow! What the fuck are you doing?!” Kara growled, gripping her ear. “At least fucking warn me first, that really fucking hurt.”

 

“I know, I’m sorry. It was starting to heal already and that would have lead to infection since it wasn’t clean. Didn’t mean to shock you like that.” She explained and Kara nodded, turning her head so Lena could reach it better. Suddenly, her body rocked and she lurched upwards, straddling Kara’s crotch. She looked back, seeing Kara’s knees perched upwards.

 

“Easier to reach,” She whispered to her before closing her eyes. Her hands relaxed on Lena’s waist, letting her fingers wander underneath her t-shirt. Lena let out a low shiver, closing her eyes and regaining herself before starting up again. She carefully dabbed the cloth on her wound, brushing away the dried blood. Once it was clean, she could get a clear look. The top cartilage was broken off, leaving a raw spot of skin. She poured a bit more alcohol over it, causing Kara to shuffle uncomfortably and pressed the fabric against it.

 

“Hold that there. I'll be right back,” she said, getting up from her lap. Lena rushed off and grabbed the cleanest pieces of fabric she could find, rushing back. She straddled Kara without fault and replaced the bloodied piece with her fresh one, wrapping a thin long piece around her head, over her ear. Tying it in a neat knot, feeling a sudden surge of courage, she placed a kiss on Kara's forehead, sitting up.

 

“Thank you,” Kara whispered, curling her arms around Lena's waist. She pulled the other woman into a hug, curling into the bend of her neck with her head. “Sorry, I get all touchy when I'm drugged up.”

 

“I didn't give you any drugs,” Lena said, smirking. Kara's hold tightened and she grumbled something. “I didn't hear that.”

 

“I said shut up. I'm tired and I know you are too.” Kara felt Lena shuffle above her and they face the door.

 

“Fine. But if you tell anyone about this, I'll stab you,” she says and Kara chuckling sleepily.

 

“Sure.” Lena smiled and they melted into each other, letting exhaustion overtake them.

 

*** * ***

 

Kara let her hand run through dark almost purple strands, twirling her finger around, curling it ever so slightly. Lena sighed slightly above her, hands twitching over Kara’s bare chest. The light touch of her fingers calmed the blonde in a way she hadn’t allowed herself to feel in a while. It was quiet but not unsettlingly so. It had a certain peace that Kara allowed herself to delve in and enjoy with the company of the sleeping woman atop her. Kara allowed her eyes to close once more, sighing and relaxing. She indulged in it, almost falling back asleep until she heard speaking from the outside, shattering her mood. She sat up, ignoring her aching bones and moved Lena onto the couch, waking her in the process.

 

“Kara?” She groaned. “What’s going on?”

 

“Get ready,” Kara hissed back, grabbing her shirt and pulling it over her head. She pulled out her knife, waiting for the door as it opened. She charged but stopped, seeing familiar faces. Henry and Sam.

 

“Oh my god, you scared the fuck out of me,” Henry said, chuckling. “The door was open here and it’s usually not. See Sam, I told you we’d find them again. These two are indestructible.”

 

Kara’s face hardened, looking over the pair. Not a hair on them was harmed and they looked as if they avoided every encounter of hunters since they escaped. Rage couldn’t be defined as what she was feeling. Kara lurched and punched him, knocking Henry to his knees.

 

“That’s for leaving us!” She shouted. “I know you got him to protect but you don’t leave behind valuable allies!”

 

“I’m sorry,” Henry coughed, standing. “I didn’t know what to do and I couldn’t take risks. Especially with him.”

 

“You’re lucky you got a kid because I would do much worse if you didn’t,” She said. Kara turned her back and moved back to the couch where Lena was watching. She put on her boots, groaning painfully and groaned louder when Lena hit her over the head.

 

“You didn’t have to do that. Things happen and I don’t blame him for leaving,” She said, tying her boots up.

 

“I’m not apologizing if that’s what you want,” Kara said, looking away. She heard Lena sigh beside her and she stood, walking over to the boys.

 

“Are you ok, Sam? Any cuts anywhere?” She said and he smiled looking up at her.

 

“No, Henry had my back the whole time. The hunters didn’t even know where we were,” He said.

 

“Good. Glad you stayed safe.” She smiled back and grab her pack, strapping it on. She turned to Henry. “Do you have any idea where we are?”

 

“Well me and Sam passed the radio tower on our way here. Full of Infected so we dodged a bullet. Passed there is a bunch of neighborhoods which is where we are now. Passed this point is roads out of the city and hopefully away from the hunters,” He explained.

 

“Good,” Kara said, standing. “Let’s make our way out of here and to the roads. The more distance we can put between us and their truck the better.”

 

“Yeah, you’re right. We should get going.” The brothers turned to the door, leaving. “Go on Sam.” They left first and Kara was going to follow before Lena pulled her back by her collar.

 

“Play nice. They’re not bad people.” Stern foresty green eyes stared into misty blue, accented with a raised eyebrow and hands on hips. The blonde rolled them and nodded, looking away with a blush. Lena smiled. “Good, now let’s go.”

 

Lena walked out and Kara followed, walking down a hill with the brothers. The warm summer air happened to send a chill up Kara’s back as her gaze locked on Lena. Looking at her reminded Kara of the times before and when she went down the street with her family heading to the ice cream shop. The color of her eyes reminded her of mini chocolate chip ice cream, her mom’s favorite. Her dark icky black hair reminded her of her dad’s favorite, charcoal. She couldn’t remember why he liked it, it was disgusting. Kara shook her head and looked away, staring at the houses in front of her. One, in particular, sent her back, back to a day she’d never wanted to be reminded off. Before she went into it, she shook her head again, focusing on the task at hand. Keeping a straight face and looking ahead, she missed when Lena moved her way over to her and bumped their shoulders together.

 

“What are you thinking about?” She asked, looking up at her. Kara shrugged. “Don’t do that.”

 

“Do what?” She said and Lena rolled her eyes.

 

“Shut yourself up. We were fine yesterday and day before, sharing stuff with each other. Why are you quiet now?” She said and Kara looked away, eyes finding a turned over playground and grown over rocking animals.

 

“I used to live in a place like this. In Kansas first but then Texas. Me, my parents and my older sister Alex. It just brings back a lot of memories being here,” She said and Lena nodded.

 

“I didn’t have anything like this. With Lillian and our family, we lived in cities, skipping through penthouses. We were in an airplane when it happened, I was 6. Our dad had a bunker and we stayed there until he started showing signs of…..turning. Then it was just me, Lillian and my older brother Lex,” She said. “When I was 16, Lillian started Cadmus and the rest is history.”

 

“What happened to your brother?” Kara asked, looking down at her.

 

“I…….I don’t want to talk about him. Not now,” She said lowly and Kara nodded. They continued to walk in silence, watching the brothers ahead when all of a sudden, a very very distinct rumbling starting and loud shots filled the silence.

 

“Move!” They heard Henry yell and they jumped behind the overturned minivans and sedans, taking cover. Piercing gunshots went out, going right through the sheet metal of the cars that were already rotted.

 

“We gotta take out the truck!” Kara screamed.

 

“How? Our bullets won’t work on the armor!” Henry yelled.

 

“We need to get inside it!” Lena added. “Take it out for the outside!”

 

“How?!” Henry yelled back.

 

“Me!” Kara said. “I’ll go around the back while you distract them!”

 

“Kara, no! You’re not risking yourself like that and you’re already injured. I’m not letting it happen,” Lena said.

 

“I got to. Henry has his brother and you’re too valuable. I’m not going to get killed, I’ll be fine I promise.” Kara stared into her eyes and before Lena could react, the blonde ran off, starting to loop around the truck. Lena felt the panic rise in her chest but swallowed it, looking across that the brothers. Henry was clutching Sam, holding his brother close to his chest.

 

“Henry!” Lena yelled, causing them to look up. “Follow my lead!” Lena picked up a rock and carefully tossed it at the truck, catching its attention. The gun moved over and started firing upon her spot which by now she was gone. They moved up the row of cars, throwing rocks and getting the truck to follow, firing more and more.

 

Meanwhile, Kara was going around back, slowly moving closer to it. She could see people inside through the covered window, constantly reloading the truck. All she had to do was wait until Lena, Sam, and Henry was far enough away. She continued to move, taking out her gun just in case she could get a shot on anyone. Her sides were killing her as they moved forward and she was getting increasingly annoyed at these hunters.

 

Lena and Henry found themselves trapped, stuck between a house, only covered by a car that was getting torn apart by the bullets. Kara had to act now and act fast. Suddenly, the bullets stopped and a loud metallic creak sounded from the truck.

 

Kara looked ahead and saw one of the hunters lighting a Molotov, getting ready to throw it. She pointed her gun up and shot, missing the first time but alerting them to her location.

 

“There’s another one over there!” They shouted, aiming the flaming bottle at her. But just before they threw it, it burst in the hunter's hand, catching him on fire. He fell inside and the inside of the truck burst into flames, sending it rolling down the hill. It crashed into a tree and hunters ran out, screaming and shouting, trying to put themselves out but failing.

 

Kara looked up and saw Lena, gun in her hand, panting hard. She ran over and stood in front of her, allowing the girl to come back to reality. Lena dropped the gun and looked up at Kara, hugging her tightly.

 

“That was really scary. I fucking hate hunters,” She whispered into the blonde’s chest with Kara holding her close.

 

“Me too. Hopefully, they'll be the last ones we'll deal with,” Kara whispered back. “Are you ok?”

 

“Yeah, yeah I'm ok. I just want to get out of here,” She said, pulling away. Kara gently smiled at her and picked up the gun.

 

“Yeah let's go. Even if we haven't seen any Infect, that explosion was loud enough for them to hear,” Henry said. They gathered themselves and started to head back the way they came until a loud blood-curdling screech echoed through the air. Infected.

 

“Run!” Henry shouted, grabbing his brother's hand and taking off. Lena and Kara followed, running as fast from the Infected as possible. There was a fence they could easily climb without the monsters following and just as they reached it, Sam tripped and fell.

 

“Sam!” Henry yelled, stopping.

 

“Henry go!” Kara said. “I'll get him!”  She turned and ran towards the boy, stopping beside him and seeing his foot trapped in an overgrown root. She thanked him out, pushing him ahead of her when a runner fell on top of them, screaming. Kara fought him off at the same time protecting the boy underneath her. Luckily it was only one. She wrestled herself and Sam free, throwing him towards the fence. She got up and took off, running and tossing him up to his brother, and jumping up herself. A clicker grabbed her foot and she kicked it off before scrambling up and taking off.

 

*** * ***

 

 ** _Kara laughed loudly,_** holding her stomach. Henry copied, rolling onto his back and smiling.

 

“It was the funniest thing ever, he was trying so hard. It looked like a baby deer trying to walk,” He said, causing both of them to laugh. Lena smiled from the corner, checking inventory in her bag.

 

“That is the most unbelievable thing I've ever heard but it's funny no matter what,” Kara said, smiling.

 

“He hates when I tell that story, I'm surprised he hasn't come and yelled at me yet,” Henry said.

 

“Want me to check on him?” Lena asked.

 

“Will you please? My legs are killing me,” Henry said and she nodded.

 

“No problem.” Lena put her bag down and walked to the other door to the connecting room. They had found a hotel on the way to safety which was boarded up and locked. On the second floor, there were two bedrooms where they had set up shop for the night.

 

Lena knocked, waiting for a response. There was a low grunt and she opened it, seeing Sam inside. He was sitting, back turned to her.

 

“Sam? Are you ok?” Suddenly the boy launched, lashing and attacking Lena, sending her tumbling into the room.

 

“Lena!” Kara yelled, reaching for her gun before a loud shot rang out and the boy's infected body went limp. Lena scrambled away from her to the protection of Kara and looked towards Henry. “Henry, I-”

 

“This is your fault,” He said, voice breaking into pieces. Kara placed her hands up and stood in front of Lena as Henry raised the gun to them.

 

“Henry, I am so so sorry,” She whispered. Henry cried and fell to his knees, the gun shaking in his hand. He crawled over to his brother's body and lifted him, crying into his chest.

 

“Sam,” He wept, leaning down. “Sam, I'm sorry.” Henry lifted the gun to his head and looked Kata in the eyes. “This is all your fault.”

 

A loud bang resounded in the room, followed by a faint thud on the ground. Kara and Lena stood still as reality bore down onto them.


	9. Moving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my main fic now so hopefully, I'll be updating closer together. Hope you enjoy!!!

It was quiet. Quieter than it had ever been in her life. Everything sounded mute and she felt tears gather in her eyes, running down her cheeks. Death had never affected her, at least not this much. She couldn’t place why she was crying, she was used to this by now. This loss. This silence. And it all came crashing onto her when her partner spoke.

 

“What did you want to be before this happened?” Lena asked, staring into the distance. Kara looked at her, wiping tears out of her eyes. There was a small distance between them, big enough for personal space but small enough to allow Kara to hear her.

 

“What?” She whispered and Lena shrugged.

 

“What did you want to be? You remember when adults asked us that? What did we want to be when we grew up?” Lena said. Her voice was flat and sounded like rocks scraping against metal. Kara knew why. She had spent hours weeping in her arms.

 

Two shovels sat on the porch next to them, dirt caked on the blade. Sun cast over their faces, shining down on two lumps of fresh dirt, both with sticks standing from it. Rocks protected the graves, laying over them and not allowing anything in. At the base of one was a pack of cards and a small robot toy while the other was a red bandana tied to the top. Sunset would have felt warm on their skin if it wasn’t for the chill of guilt deep within their hearts.

 

“A journalist,” Kara whispered, feeling more tears rise. “I liked spreading news and watching it, it was my favorite pastime. I always saw reporters and like bloggers as role models. It was a stupid dream, I probably would have changed my mind when I turned 18 anyway.”

 

“It’s not stupid,” Lena told her. “I wanted to be a superhero, even at 16. Yeah, pretty dumb but I really really wanted that. I didn’t want what my parents planned for me, taking over their company. I wanted to do my own thing.”

 

They went quiet again, the wind blowing through the gap between them. It smelled like leaves mixed with the earth like they were in a forest, hiking. And with another gust of when, Kara broke.

 

She fractured, curling her legs to her chest and crying heavily. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out any feeling and cried. Guilt overwhelmed her and lunged at her heart. She felt darkness crash into her and was going to willingly sink until it until soft warmth surrounded her, pulling her in. Lena. Kara impulsively pulled Lena in, onto her lap and started crying again, laying her head on the woman’s chest. Lena curled her arms around Kara’s next, holding her and whispering, comforting her.

 

“It’s my fault, Henry was right,” Kara sobbed. “If I would have just watched if I would have protected Sam like I was supposed to then...maybe they wouldn’t…”

 

“No,” Lena hissed, raising Kara’s head with her hands. Kara’s face was drenched, eyes red and sniffling. Lena stared in her eyes, furrowing her eyebrows. “You cannot blame yourself for this. You are not at fault. For either of them. Either. I hate to say this but Henry should have watched his brother better. He didn’t and you were there. You protected all of us, all. If you didn’t think of that idea with the truck..”

 

“You’re the one who shot him. When I missed, I was just ready to give up,” Kara cried, her fingers squeezing into Lena’s sides. “If I acted earlier, maybe you, Sam and Henry would have survived, got out of there. One death is better than two.”

 

“Don’t say that,” Lena said, making Kara look her in the eye. “Don’t you ever say something like that again. You don’t need to sacrifice yourself, you don’t. You don’t owe anyone anything so don’t try to give yourself up for no reason. You don’t need to.”

 

“He was a kid, he didn’t deserve that,” Kara cried. “I should have done more, defending him or something.”

 

“He wasn’t your kid, he wasn’t your responsibility,” Lena whispered, brushing strands of blonde from Kara’s face. “Kara, if it were you instead of them…..I’d probably have turned myself over to the hunters. Or be in Henry’s grave.”

 

“Lena..” Kara gasped, looking up at her. “Why? Why would you even think of doing something like that?”

 

“Because we’re partners. Partners don’t leave someone behind, they go together,” Lena said. She sighed, letting out a shaky, hesitate breath and continued. “It’s only been a couple of weeks since we met but,” She brushed Kara’s face clear and held her face gently. “I don’t think anything will be the same if you died. And I’m sure if it were me, you’d do the same.”

 

“Lena,” Kara let out with a shaky breath. “What are you trying to say?”

 

“Nothing,” She blurted. “I’m not trying to say anything except that I need you. We, we need each other and that’s it. We need each other to make it through, to make it to the end.”

 

“To make it to the end,” Kara whispered, placing her hand on top of Lena’s. “I know,” Kara rested her head against Lena’s, feeling more tears come on.

 

“To the end,” Lena whispered back, holding Kara close and quieting her cries until the sunset.

 

*** * ***

**Fall**  
Lena sat watch, crossing her arms and leaning against a brown brick wall. She was the lookout while Kara was looting whatever she could find from the collection of apartments from whatever small town they stopped in. According to the map, they found a while back, they were in Wyoming, someplace called Teton. It was small, desolate and torn down. It didn’t look like the military had bombed it like every other place but it was like something had wiped the population out. Like they had all moved but they don’t know where.

 

Lena sighed, closing her eyes and hanging her head. Secretly she was glad no one was there to bother her time with Kara. Day by day, she had felt more and more for the blue-eyed beauty. Her heart fluttered every time she heard her voice the more frequent times they’ve talked. It used to be uncomfortable silence but now it was relaxing chats. Kara’s voice was music to her ears, after it being so long hearing music.

 

“Hey, you good?” Kara said, stepping out of the drug store, next to her.

 

“Yeah, just thinking. This place is really weird and I’d like to leave as soon as possible,” Lena told her and Kara nodded.

 

“I know what you mean. Sorta like a ghost town,” Kara said. “Come on. There was nothing in there except some dead runners.”

 

“Ok,” Lena said and they starting walking, taking out the town map. There was a bigger city, Idaho Falls and it looked like it would take them at least a day to get there.

 

Lena folded the map back up and stuffed it into her pocket, sighing. The sun was going down and she was steadily getting tired. It was hard getting sleep anymore, ever since the brothers. She couldn’t stand being alone any longer, it drove her crazy. Especially when it was silent. By now, she was used to hearing unison around her. Her footsteps matching with Kara’s, their breathing matching up. Even when she yawned and Kara copied. There was no longer silence, no more lonely quiet. There was a settling ambiance and Lena had fallen in love with it, not wanting to let it go.

 

Kara had fallen for something else in the meantime. Lena’s presence. She was used to going on journeys like this with James but not having something as she and Lena did. She didn’t have someone to take care of her and to take care of the way she and Lena did for each other. She didn’t have someone who she could hold while they cried when something got to them just a bit too much.

 

Lena…….she was something else. Something Kara didn’t want to tell herself, it scared her more than she’d ever allowed herself to believe. She knew it was a short time, she knew that they hadn't known each other long enough so she stayed quiet. If she could protect her, watch her and be there for her, maybe, just maybe Lena would feel the same. But it would take time. Time she’d willingly give up.

 

“So, how long do you think it’ll take to find something close to another Cadmus camp?” Lena asked and Kara shrugged.

 

“I don’t know. They could be everywhere and nowhere at the same time, we just gotta look,” She said and Lena hummed. They went quiet, following a trail out of the town to a dirt road, a river flowing fast by them. Birds chirped and wildlife sounded around them, filling the atmosphere with liveliness.

 

A slight chill went up Kara’s back through the thin jacket she grabbed from their latest clothing haul. Turns out some malls have little infected and plenty of supplies. Along with their new wardrobe, they also raided a camping store and got new bookbags. Most of everything there was gone or destroyed but they managed to find some stuff in the storage part.

 

Lena walked ahead of her, hands stuffed down her pockets and whistling lowly. Over the past 3 weeks since Pittsburgh, they had grown closer than Kara would ever admit. They never went anywhere without each other, always at a reachable distance. It reminded Kara of when she was with James but something more. Something unique.

 

“What are you thinking now?” Lena called, snapping Kara out of her head. Kara looked up surprised.

 

“Huh? What?” She said, shaking her head. Lena smirked.

 

“You’re thinking about something. I can hear it,” Lena told her, slowing so they could walk side by side.

 

“You can read my thoughts now?” Kara questioned but Lena laughed and shook her head. “Ok, if so, what am I thinking?”

 

Lena stared at Kara, tapping her finger against her chin and smiled. “You’re thinking about Cadmus. I told you not to worry about it.”

 

“I know but it’s not like you’re not thinking about it,” Kara argued. “What’s gonna happen? What will they do? It’s full of random possibilities.”

 

“Ones you can’t control huh?” Lena said, reading through Kara’s bs. Kara huffed and looked down, shaking her head “Look at me.” She looked up with hoping eyes but they flickered and went out. “Why does it matter?”

 

“Why?” Kara scoffed. “Because we don’t know. Anything could happen, they could be there and take you and..”

 

“Would that be bad? Isn’t that what you want?” Lena asked, her voice flickering between playful and desperate.

 

“I…..I don’t know. It’s like every Cadmus base we’ve been, they’re all shut, closed up by evacuation or raiders or the military. We never know what they’re going to be like when we get there, it’s…..”

 

“Stressing? Aggravating? Scary?” Lena said, finishing Kara’s thought. The blonde nodded and sighed. “Kara, it’s been at least 15 years since this started. How are you not used to it by now?”

 

“Because now……,” Kara looked up. “Now I have you. I have you and I could lose you at any moment and that scares me more than any Infected, hunter or thief out there. Just at any point in time, you could be gone and I’d be alone, for real this time. I’ve never felt for anyone as much as I feel for you since my sister left and that scares me. I hate it.”

 

“You hate caring about me?” Lena asked skeptically.

 

“What? No, I don’t. I hate being scared. I’m scared that I can’t keep you safe,” Kara admitted. “I don’t know how to deal with it.”

 

“Kara, I’m scared all the time,” Lena said, taking Kara’s hand in hers and squeezing it. “I’m scared that my vulnerability might be short-lived and I turn at any moment. I’m scared that anything could happen to you at any time, that you could be gone before I realize. I’m scared every second I stepped out of the Boston walls and even before then but I met you. You’ve….you’ve changed me. For the better.” Kara squeezed her hand and looked down, cheeks red and warm like the sunset.

 

They walked slower, listening to the leaves crunch under their boots and nature thrive around them. Lena’s hand fit perfectly in Kara’s, tanned fingers moving against pale ones. Old scars contrasting against new ones and blue eyes flashed to green, hesitating to stare. Kara took a deep breath and stopped, making Lena face her.

 

“Before we go any further, I’ve got something I need to say,” She looked deeply in Lena’s eyes. “Lena, I-”

 

An arrow whizzed by Kara’s head, cutting a wound into her forehead and they ducked. She grabbed her gun and Lena her bow before a voice shouted out.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” A woman said, causing them to look around. On the hill just ahead was a group of people and coming up from behind them was more, surrounding the pair.

Kara pulled Lena to her chest, face hardened and hand on her gun.

 

“If you care about your girl, you’re going to put your weapons down,” The woman said again, walking towards them. The closer she got, the more Kara could make out her features. Brown eyes, it looked like and auburn hair. She held a shotgun and Kara heard her gasp as she got closer. She started to run towards her and Kara froze, dropping her gun. No, it couldn’t...it was the sun playing tricks on her. But as the woman got closer, she knew it was no trick. And she knew the woman all too well.

 

“Alex…” She gasped, running towards her, both of them crashing together. Alex wrapped her arms around Kara’s shoulders, pulling her into a strong hug.

 

“Kara,” Alex said back, shock rolling through her. They pulled back and Alex held Kara’s face, looking her over. “What?! I, what are you? You’re alive?!”

 

“I’m alive?! Alex, you’re...you’re alive. You’re alive!” Kara yelled, hugging her again. Tears flooded her vision and she laughed while crying.

 

Behind them, Lena looked on in surprise and deep confusion.

 

“Kara, care to explain to me what’s going on?” She asked, holstering her bow.

 

“Lena,” Kara said, pulling away from the woman’s embrace. “Lena, this is Alex." She looked at her partner with a smile on her face. "My sister.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I was writing this, I searched up how long they walked in the game and it's 1,088 hours which is 3,284 miles. Holy fuck, my legs broke reading that
> 
> Here's the link  
> https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Boston,+MA/Lincoln,+MA/Pittsburgh,+PA/Jackson,+WY/Denver,+CO/Salt+Lake+City,+Utah/@41.7235009,-101.7910833,4.93z/data=!4m38!4m37!1m5!1m1!1s0x89e3652d0d3d311b:0x787cbf240162e8a0!2m2!1d-71.0588801!2d42.3600825!1m5!1m1!1s0x89e39b0c0c3832c1:0xec99885f78a850e6!2m2!1d-71.3039469!2d42.4259283!1m5!1m1!1s0x8834f16f48068503:0x8df915a15aa21b34!2m2!1d-79.9958864!2d40.4406248!1m5!1m1!1s0x53531a58fccf7f4b:0x3d1c01cbb13a835c!2m2!1d-110.7624282!2d43.4799291!1m5!1m1!1s0x876b80aa231f17cf:0x118ef4f8278a36d6!2m2!1d-104.990251!2d39.7392358!1m5!1m1!1s0x87523d9488d131ed:0x5b53b7a0484d31ca!2m2!1d-111.8910474!2d40.7607793!3e2


	10. Water Treatment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm late, yeah ik sorry. It's long though so I hope you enjoy. The moment you've been waiting for might have happened.

The settlement was unlike anything Lena's seen. Even Cadmus didn't have this much power and people in one place. Apparently, it was all powered by a water reserve and Lena struggled to remember what that was. She followed behind Kara and Alex with the rest of the group, walking through the main grounds of the walled community. The sisters were chatting, smiles wide on their faces and Lena had never seen Kara look happier. She had a grin on her face, unlike the ones Lena could recall. Her skin was glowing in the fall sunset and her hair laid from her ponytail and her laughter sounded like music to Lena’s ears.

 

They entered a large part of the building, it looked like a factory. Surprisingly to Lena, it was clean and well lit, light casting over the entire place. It was large like the gymnasium at the high school but furnished like a Cadmus base. Children ran around, greeting the people standing around her, Kara and Alex, dragging them off screaming mommy and daddy. It was weird to see, Cadmus never had kids this young and neither did any of the places she stayed before.

 

Looking ahead again, Lena saw that Kara was further ahead with Alex, talking to another woman. A strangle tinge of jealousy went through her but she pushed it away and walked up to them.

 

“Hey Lena,” Kara said, grabbing her hand and pulling her forward. “This is Sam, Alex’s wife.”

 

“Wife, wow,” She said, looking at her. “It’s nice to meet you.”

 

“Nice to meet you too,” Sam spoke with a southern accent but not like the one Kara and Alex had. “You’re Kara’s new partner huh?”

 

“Yeah, I’m her friend,” After she spoke she felt Kara’s hand leave hers and regretted saying the words.

 

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, friend. Kara told me that you two have been on the road for a while,” Sam said and Kara looked at Alex.

 

“Speaking of on the road, Alex, I need to talk to you in private, it’s sort of important,” She said, clasping her fingers together. “Sorta has to deal with the reason I’m here and not still in Boston.”

 

“Yeah, yeah of course. We have a lot to talk about,” Alex said, putting her hand on Kara’s shoulder. Kara smiled appreciatively and turned to Lena.

 

“We won’t take long, try to eat and drink something, I’ll be back soon,” She said and grinned. Lena nodded.

 

“Come with me,” Sam said. “I’ll show you around.”

 

Lena agreed, watching Alex and Kara walk off. “Sure, let’s go.”

* * *

_It was 11:11 and she stared at her clock, watching the red blink on and off until it turned 11:12. Alex was snoring from the other side of the room but for some reason, she couldn’t fall asleep. Her parents weren’t home yet and it was unusual for them. They were always home by 9:30 on weeknights and it was Thursday. She was starting to get worried. Waiting until it was 11:15, Kara got up, putting on her slippers and leaving the room quietly. She went down the stairs, looking around for any sign of her parents. She looked around, seeing that their office light was on, she must have not heard them pull-up._

 

_Feeling better, Kara walked towards the room, opening the door. There was no one in there, just an open door outside. Just as she walked up to it, her mother rushed through, slamming the door shut behind her. Her mother was disheveled, clothes half torn off and her head was bleeding from a cut Kara couldn’t see._

 

_“Mom? What’s going on?” Kara asked, walking up to her._

 

_“Stay back Kara. Go upstairs, get Alex and both of you get dressed!” Kara looked in shock until Eliza glared at her. “Go! Pack a bag, necessities only!”_

 

_Kara spirited, heading up the stairs and slamming her door open. “Alex!”_

 

_“Kara, what the hell are you doing? It’s almost 12,” Alex groaned, sitting up._

 

_“Mom’s downstairs, something’s wrong. She told us to get dressed and pack a bag and hurry,” Kara said. In confusion, Alex got up beside her and they both got dressed, packing anything they got to fit into the hiking backpacks they got for Christmas. The sisters rushed down the stairs to find their mother stuffing food and water into a duffel, knocking over things on the counter._

 

_“Mom, what’s going on? Kara said you wanted us to get dressed,” Alex said._

 

_“Are you?” She rushed not turning around._

 

_“Yeah, what’s the problem?” The redhead asked but their mother ignored them._

 

_“Get in the truck, I’ll meet you out there. Now!” Eliza yelled and the girls ran, rushing to their truck outside. They jumped in the backseat, panting heavily and looking around. It was dark, darker than normal and it looked like the street lights were cut off. There were cars abandoned on the street and a dark substance on their driveway that Kara couldn’t make out. Suddenly, there was a bang on her door, causing them to jump and scream._

  
_“Dad?” She said in questioned and her father yelled from the outside, banging on the door. “Dad, what’s wrong?”_

 

_Her father only shouted, hitting the car and shaking it. He left dark streaks on the window, staining it. His face was angry and pale, looking like his veins were showing through his skin._

 

_“Alex? What’s wrong with him?” Kara whimpered, moving closer to her sister._

 

_“I-I don’t know. Just don’t open the door ok? Keep it closed,” She whispered, the same amount of fear present in her tone. Their father banged on the door again, shouting and grunting, pounding his fists on the glass. A crack formed and they yelped, holding each other tightly._

 

_“Jeremiah!” Eliza yelled from the house, pointing a gun at him. He turned to her and shouted, facing her. “Leave them alone, I know you don’t want to do this! I know you’re not like this!”_

 

_He only grunted and violently shook, starting to run towards his wife. With a frightened look on her eyes and just as he was a few inches from her face, Eliza shot and Jeremiah fell to the ground, squealing and squirming until he died out._

 

_Alex and Kara panted, tears forming in both their eyes, not believing what they saw. Their mother stepped over him and stalked towards the car, getting in and slamming the door shut. They all sat in silence and Kara swore she saw her mother wipe away tears but with the shock, she couldn’t tell. The truck started up and they pulled out of the driveway with a jerk, leaving behind their father’s bleeding corpse._

 

_“Mom?” Alex croaked, tears streaming down her face. “You….you shot….you you shot Dad.”_

 

_“I know baby,” Eliza said. “I had to. Your father wasn’t himself anymore. He was...he was sick.”_

 

_“Sick?” Kara whined. “So sick you had to kill him?”_

 

_Eliza sniffed. “If I didn’t shoot him, he would have killed me and then you. I would never let that happen.”_

 

_“He’s dead. You killed Dad, why, why would you do that?” Alex asked._

 

_“There’s something going on, something we don’t understand. It’s causing people to get sick and because of that, they’re…..violent. Vicious. They’ll kill anyone, it doesn’t matter if they’re family. They don’t recognize them anymore.” Eliza went quiet, idling driving. “That’s it for now, that’s enough questions. Just sit down and ride. I’ll explain everything once we’re safe.”_

 

_They went silent, letting miles and miles of road pass by, looking out in the distance. The nearby city was on fire, large smoke plumes in the sky. The main freeway was backed up, cars upon cars upon cars but Kara paid them no mind. The only thing that was going through her head was the sound of the gunshot and the slump of her father’s body on the ground._

 

* * *

Alex’s office door shut and Kara felt awkward sitting in the leather seats she had. It’s been too long since she’s seen her, too long since they were alone together. It made her brain flip and her heart do summersaults.

 

“Kara, stand up for me for a sec,” Alex said and Kara stood, confusion on her face. Smiling, Alex took her sister in for a hug, holding her tightly. Kara did the same, tears brimming at her eyes.

  
“I fucking missed you. I fucking missed you so much Kara, you don’t know what it was like.”

 

“Oh, I do. I know exactly what it’s like,” Kara dryly chuckled, feeling tears fall down her cheeks. “I know Alex, I know.”

 

“How’d you make it out?” Alex said, pulling away, looking into her baby sister’s eyes.

 

“I ran,” Kara stated, wiping her eyes. Yeah, just like you told me. I ran until I came across a military controlled town and was forced to join. It wasn’t bad at first until they made us start doing building searches. Next thing I knew I was skipping town after town until I met a man named James. We were partners up until lately. He got bit and the military found him. With his last breath, he fought them off and let me and Lena escape.”

 

“I’m glad nothing happened to you. I honestly didn’t know what to think when I couldn’t find you that day. I’m happy, I’m so happy you made it out and you’re ok.” Alex hugged her again and Kara smiled, leaning into her family’s embrace.

 

“How’d you get out?” Kara asked as they sat down.

 

“I hid. Killed a few raiders until they all eventually left. After I searched for you but I found nothing and lost hope after a few weeks. I headed west and came across Sam and the small group with her. After a few years, we made this place and more families started coming.”

 

“It’s cool that you got this place and your wife. I never thought that would happen,” Kara said and Alex smirked.

 

“Yeah, she’s one of a kind. I think I fell for her the first time I met her. She saved me from a horde of runners by throwing a Molotov into them. It was the most badass thing I’ve ever seen, straight out of a movie,” Alex said. “Anyway, what did you need to talk to me about? Something with your girl?”

“Lena’s not my girl, she’s my partner. Well, actually, she’s my package,” Kara said.

 

“Package?” Alex questioned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

“I’m a smuggler slash gun for hire, Alex. It’s something I’m good at. Someone hired me to bring Lena to a certain spot and that was a while back. I wanted to ask you if you knew where they were.”

 

“Who? I rarely know anyone these days Kara except for the families here and,” realization came across Alex’s face. “No...Kara.”

 

“I had to,” Kara said and Alex shook her head.

 

“What was one thing I told you that night when we got split?” Kara tried to protest but Alex shushed her. “What was it?”

 

“Don’t do deals with Cadmus, Lillian is a psycho bitch,” Kara said with a sigh. “You don’t understand I had to.”

 

“No, you didn’t. Nothing forced you to deliver a Cadmus recruit to one of their bases,” Alex growled and her voice reminded her of their mother.

 

“Lena’s not a recruit. She’s worth more than firepower,” Kara said. “You might freak out when you hear this but I assure you it’s 100% the truth.”

 

“What? If the girl’s not a recruit, what is she?” Alex deadpanned.

 

“She’s immune.” Alex shot out her seat in disbelief.

 

“Kara…”

 

“No, no I’m serious.” Kara stood her to her sister. “She’s taken in enough spores to take down 200 army dudes and she has a scabbed over bite on her arm. She’s immune.”

 

The women stared into each other’s eyes, Alex silently questioning her sibling.

 

“If you’re fucking with me, you’re getting punched,” Alex said and Kara sighed.

 

“I know, I know but it’s true. Lena’s immune and Lillian herself hired me to move her to the nearest Cadmus base. We’ve been to two so far and everyone’s been dead. I just need you to tell me where the closest one is.”

 

“I’m not allowing you to put yourself in danger,” Alex said.

 

“Alex, I can handle myself. Been doing it for 7 and a half years. Once I drop her off and they do what they have to do, we’ll come back and live here. I won’t leave your sight for months if I can get you to tell me, just, please. Tell me.”

 

Kara gave Alex and stern look and the older sibling gave, sighing.

 

“Fine. Fine, I’ll give it to you but on one condition,” Alex says.

 

“Anything.”

 

“You let me take her.”

 

“What? Alex, why would you offer that? You have everything here,” Kara said.

 

“I don’t what you to risk yourself for something I ran after for years of my life,” Alex said. “Let me take her, you stay here, help out and we’ll be back before you know it.”

 

“Alex I-”

 

“No, it’s final. I’m taking her.”

 

“Alex, no you can’t. I signed up for this, it’s my obligation to finish it,” Kara said. “Just tell me where it is.”

 

After a moment of silence, Alex sighed. “Fine. It’s at Salt Lake City University. The place looks like a giant box with mirrors all over.” Kara smiled and hugged her sister. Alex pushed her back and gave her a stone look. “You come back. You come back and you stay for good. Both of you.”

 

“Both, yeah. Alex, we're going to be fine, what’s the worse that can happen?” Kara chuckled. Suddenly the door slammed open, it was Sam.

 

“Alex, Kara, she’s gone!” The woman yelled. Alex ran to her wife.

 

“Who’s gone?”

 

“Lena! One minute she came up here to see what was taking so long and the next she took off on one of our horses!” Sam explained.

 

“Fuck,” Kara said under her breath and rushed out of the room, the couple following. They ran to the yard and Kara with her sister jumped on some horses, taking after her. Her tracks were easy enough to follow and Kara slapped the reigns, urgent to go faster. Lena must have heard them and took it in the worst way possible. Just what she needed, her to run away.

  
Kara hit the reigns again and the horse sped up, wind rushing past her ears. It was starting to rain, thunder sounding above them. She had to be faster before she lost the tracks and Lena. They came to a dead end and Kara frantically searched for tracks, finding none.

 

“Over here,” Alex sounded. “There’s a small ranch, it’s the only place she could have gone.” Kara nodded at her sister and took off, looking ahead. There was a large brown blob ahead and Kara could make it out like a horse. Just as she reached the porch, she hopped off, rushing inside the house.

 

“Lena?!” She called out, searching the rooms downstairs. From upstairs, she heard a door slam and rushed up, tracking the sound. There was a closed door at the end of the hallway and she stopped herself, panting as she knocked. “Lena?”

 

“Go away. If you don’t want me near, I don’t want you near,” Lena said muffled through the wood. Kara tried the handle and it broke off in her hand so she entered. Lena was facing the window and the blonde heard her sniffle. Kara sat down next to her and waited a moment before starting.

 

“Lena, I-”

 

“I don't want to hear it. I thought I meant something to you, I thought we meant something to each other but you drop me off with your sister?” Lena said shakily. “I guess I was just a package.”

 

“Lena, no it’s what you thi-”

 

“I heard her,” Lena said in a low voice, turning to Kara. “I heard your sister, she said that she’d take me the way and not you! You don’t care about me Kara, you don’t lov-care for me. If you did, you wouldn’t throw me out like a piece of fucking trash!”

 

“You were never that to me Lena, especially now. You’re something more, that’s what I was trying to tell you before Alex came with her group.”

 

“Don’t lie to me,” She croaked, eyes red. “Don’t do that, don’t give me false hope that you actually want me.”

 

“But, I do, Lena I do.” Kara held the girl’s face gently, wiping away tears. “I care about you more than anyone, anyone. Lena I…..I-”

 

“No,” Lena cut her off and stood. “Don’t you fucking lie to me! Don’t you fucking-”

 

Her rant stopped when Kara joined their lips. They were soft, unlike her normal scarred skin. They tasted like fresh strawberries and it was like a breath of fresh air. Lena’s knees buckled but Kara was faster, catching her and pulling her close. They pulled away panting before joining again, in a deeper kiss than before. They separated, staring into each other’s eyes and just as Kara began to speak, the door slammed open.

 

Alex looked panicked as she spoke. “Infected.”


	11. Coming Into Touch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally here yessssss. I hope you enjoy, tell me in the comments what you want to see between here and the university.

Kara gripped her knife in one hand and Lena’s in the other, crouching as they moved through the house. Alex was right, they could hear the groaning from upstairs and the shrieks of Clickers as they shuffled in the open door. They crawled their way out of the bedroom, leaning on the banister, peaking over to see down the stairs. There were at least 6 of them, nudging their way in and spreading around the first floor. 

 

“You couldn’t close it?” Kara whispers, looking at her sister with a glare and Alex frowns. 

 

“No! There hasn’t been Infected here in a while, it caught me off guard. Plus you know, the change I could have gotten bit,” She said, pulling out her knife. “Let’s just kill these fucks and get back to base.” 

 

Kara rolled her eyes but nodded and looked over at Lena, who also pulled out her knife. They moved to the stairs, carefully descending and looking around. There were four runners visible and they heard Clickers around but didn’t see any. Alex split from Kara and Lena, going to the right to deal with the one on the left while they went to the three. Lena pulled from Kara’s hand and carefully snuck up behind a runner, standing and plunging her knife in its jugular, killing it instantly. It choked on its own blood as it fell to the ground and she wiped her blade on its rotting clothes. Kara moved behind her, pulling one runner into a chokehold and throwing her knife at the other with enough force to impale its skull. Once they were done, Lena nodded at Kara and they moved to the next room, finding the clickers immediately. Two forced themselves into a corner, shrieking lowly and twitching violently. The last was in the center of the room, jumping around at each small sound that it heard. Kara pointed at one in the corner, the farthest away for Lena and prepared herself to take on the next two. Lena snuck over to the corner, sparing glances Kara’s way as the blonde moved to the one in the center of the room. Kara stabbed in the leg, stunning it and it fell to the ground just before she forced the blade into its head. Just as Lena turned around, the clicker fell onto her both of them tumbling to the ground with a loud thud. Her knife fell from her hand as it snapped its jaw and screamed loudly causing Lena to shout in fear. She tried pushing it away with one arm and struggled to grab her knife with the other. 

 

Kara looked up alert and raced to Lena’s aid only to be stopped by the third clicker pounding onto her. She made quick work of it, throwing its body over her shoulder and stopping it into submission before finishing it off with her knife. Kara heard the screaming stop and looked up to see Alex panting above Lena and the clicker, seeing no movement underneath the Infected’s body. Kara scrambled over, pushing the body off of Lena and saw eyes staring back up at her. 

 

“I’m ok, a bit shaken but ok.” Lena saw up and looked over at Alex. “Thank you.” 

 

“No problem. Kara would kill me if I got her girl killed,” Alex said and Kara punched her in the shin as she got up. 

 

“Shut up,” Kara huffed, helping Lena up. Lena smiled at her as they locked eyes and blushed, quickly moving away. 

 

“Well um since the threat has been disposed of, I should leave,” Alex said, backing away. “I need to get back to Sam before she kills me.” 

 

“Wait, what about taking me to the lab place?” Lena asked. 

 

“Kara’s taking you. I offered but she shut me down before I finished my thought. She doesn’t want to let you out of her sight,” Alex explained. 

 

“That’s not what I was saying. I meant that I didn’t like the thought of you leaving and me sitting here. I took you this far, why would I stay behind and put my sister in danger for no reason? This is my, our mission. We started it together, we’ll finish it together,” Kara looked at Lena with a slight red tint on her face as she finished her sentence. 

 

“Well, what about your horse? I should return it,” Lena said. 

 

“You’re not leaving tonight,” Alex said and Kara tried to object. The eldest placed a hand in her face. “It’s getting too dark and you need supplies. Also, it’s better to talk when you’re not worrying about being ambushed or getting bit. Come on, before the sun sets.” 

 

*** * ***

 

Kara zipped up her bookbag and took a deep breath, preparing herself. Once the reached the settlement again, they were lead to a room that had plenty of supplies, enough to last them at least a week. Kara clipped her canteen onto her pack and looked up seeing the last of the sun’s light dim as the moon rose. She heard the creaking of the sheet metal bed and mattress behind her and froze, knowing what was coming next. 

 

“Kara, are we going to dance around it for the rest of the night or talk?” Lena asked, her voice shaking just like Kara’s hand was. Kara didn’t turn around, tripping on her words before they came out of her mouth. 

 

“I-”

 

“Look at me please, so I know,” Lena said and Kara sighed, turning around. She leaned against the table and gripped the edges. 

 

Looking down, Kara took a deep breath and began. “I meant everything I said. Every word. I know it’s been hard lately and as we continue on it’ll only get harder but I couldn’t imagine anyone else with me during this. Lena, I’m sorry if I made you feel unwanted, you’re not. You’re all I want and I need you to believe that.” She looked into Lena’s eyes with the rest of her words. 

 

“Kara, what if you’re just saying this because we’re together? We’ve been together for months so what if what you’re feeling is just something that’s not real? Something that’ll end once we find Cadmus and you forget about me?” Lena said and Kara shook her head, walking towards her. Lena looked up into her eyes with tears building and Kara let her hands rest on her cheeks. 

 

“It’s not fake. It’s not proximity based either. Lena I,” Kara took a breath and laughed before continuing. “I love you. I haven’t loved in a long time and those words barely even went across my mind throughout my entire life. I’ve been so so scared to say them because I’ve lost so much and if I ever admitted my feelings to someone, to you, that you would be taken away from me. Anything could happen and that, that terrifies me so fucking much.” 

 

Lena stared up at Kara, deep into her eyes, seeing only honesty and sincereness. 

 

“What if something changes?” Lena whispers and Kara shook her head. 

 

“It won’t. Nothing will change, I promise. Everything will stay the same but, I’d have you, Lena. Partners or girlfriends or even no labels at all. Just us, together.” She ran her thumb across Lena’s jawline and Lena‘s hand stopped her, bringing the experienced blonde’s hand to her mouth and pressed her lips gently against her thumb, staring up into her eyes. 

 

“You love me?” Lena asked, whispering softly. Kara nodded, leaning her forehead against the other woman’s. Lena let out a shaky breath, the air ghosting over the woman’s face. “Say it, please.” 

 

“I love you, Lena,” Kara said. “I love you so much.” Lena blinked back tears and a small smile formed on her face before it dropped. What was next, Kara didn’t expect.

 

“Take your shirt off,” Lena said and Kara nodded, pulling the t-shirt over her head and letting it fall to the ground. Lena’s was next, discarding it and her hands went to Kara’s belt, pulling the blonde in. “Kiss me.” 

 

“Of course,” Kara whispered, all ounce of hesitance gone. She carefully held Lena’s face, bringing it to hers and pressed her lips against the brunette’s, feeling her melt into her hands.  They walked back until they reached the bed and Lena sat, pulling away from Kara’s lips with a gasp. She looked up at her, staring into deep and roaring blue eyes. They were like a storm, almost hazed over completely with lust. Lena forced her eyes and down to Kara’s belt, fumbling as she tried to loosen it. Kara stopped her and she looked back up. 

 

“Lena,” She said, kneeling on the bed next to her. “We don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to. I’m perfectly fine with just sleeping until we have to go.” 

 

“But I’m not. Who knows when we’re going to get peace like this again,” Lena questioned and lunged at Kara, kissing her deeply. Taken aback, Kara was frozen as the younger woman straddled her lap and successfully managed to take her belt off, throwing it to the ground. 

 

“Calm down, Lena,” Kara said, pulling away for a short moment. “There’s no need to rush. As you said, we have peace. Let’s enjoy it.”

 

Lena blinked, gathering herself for a moment and nodded, moving her hair from her face. Kara looked back at her with calm but tempered eyes like she was holding herself back from something and Lena was determined to find out what. 

 

The next thing either of them knew was their hands over each other, pawing and groping anything they could touch. Lena was grinding steadily against Kara’s growing erection, running her hands under the blonde’s bra, pulling at her breasts. Kara moaned into her mouth, gripping Lena’s hips, bucking to her thrusts, wanting more. 

 

“Pants off now,” She husked, parting their mouths just enough to speak. Lena nodded, stripping away the cargo pants that were usually baggy but felt extra tight. She pulled them off, leaving her underwear that she prided herself into keeping almost extraordinarily clean. Next, to her, Kara kicked off her pants, dick straining against her boxers. Lena stared, involuntarily clenching her legs together. 

 

“I want to be on top,” She said abruptly and Kara looked at her in question. “It’s just something in my past and I want to control it. Be in charge of my body.”    
  


“Uh, ok. Whatever you want but what do you mean? You want to control it?” Kara said as Lena moved above her. 

 

“Something...happened to be back at the military camp my mother had me put into and I’d rather not talk about it right now.” Lena ran a hand through Kara’s hair and took a deep breath. “Later maybe but now I just want you, Kara.” 

 

“Later ok. Now, I’m going to take off your bra,” She said and Lena nodded, eyes fluttering as Kara’s fingers ran across her back to her bra straps. It fell to her stomach that was tossed to the ground and Kara’s was next, pulling it over her head. 

 

In a moment of silence and stillness, Kara and Lena were alone without a care in the world. It was just them, alone together and that’s all they needed. Just them. 

 

Kara moved to the headboard of the bed and stared into Lena’s eyes, positioned her head back at her opening. Lena met her lips gently, closing her eyes as she snuck down onto her dick. Kara didn’t move, allowing the younger woman to adjust to her size. She groped at her chest and kissed her deeply, everything around them drowning out. There was nothing else just Lena and how she felt around her. Kara leaned her head back against the bed, hands gripping Lena’s hips as she sunk completely down onto her.

 

Lena only waited a moment before moving, thrusting her hips forward, setting a pace. Kara grunted at first, those grunts turning into moans as Lena found a pattern and a pace. Her nails clawed down the woman’s hips, leaving red welts but neither of them cared. The bed rocked under them as they rocked, getting harder with each thrust. 

 

“Fuck Kara, more,” Lena moaned into her ear, leaning on her shoulder as she was fucked into. She moaned and yelled so loudly someone would have thought that she was being murdered. The bed shook with each movement, creaking and shaking with each movement. Lena felt like she was on fire, inching closer and closer to her orgasm as Kara began to rub her clit and thrust her hips upward. 

 

“Put your hands on my shoulders,” Kara growled. Lena obeyed and screamed out as Kara hammered up into her. She struggled to bring herself down with each thrust but her partner’s pace was too fast. “You close?”

 

Lena nodded as hard as she could. “Yes, fuck yes.” Kara started to grunt with each pump like she was just seconds away from coming as hard as she could. Lena quivered around her, massaging her shaft and squeezing with a death grip. 

 

“Fucking hell Lena,” Kara groaned, sitting up and pressing her chest to Lena’s. Their breasts rubbed against each other, causing Lena to whine and slump her head against Kara’s shoulder. 

 

“Kara! Kara, don’t stop,” She whispered, thighs clenching around Kara’s, her body becoming stiff as her orgasm crashed into her causing her to scream out in ecstasy. 

 

Kara’s hips continued pumping until her thighs stiffed and she pulled out, finishing on Lena’s stomach. She sighed with a crack in her voice and fell back against the bed, panting. Lena fell on top of her, clutching the blonde’s hand with one of hers. 

 

As sleep came onto them they didn't have a care in the world. Nothing mattered to them and as long as they had each other, they would make it. 

 

They had to.


	12. Blitz

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I'm almost about 6 weeks late. I've been struggling with some stuff this summer and it's stopped me from writing. I'm getting back into it, I've written a little over the past week and I hope this chapter will suffice. I'm sorry for the delay.

The clicks of metal hooves echoed down the street, bouncing off the brick walls of the gated university. Cars were stranded outside of what looked like one of the main gates, all trying to escape. They moved at a steady pace, not rushing to get to any place in particular. They were just moving, trying to get from A to B. 

 

Lena’s hands were tight around Kara’s waist, one gripping the blonde’s hand tightly. The movement of the horse pushed their bodies together, and Lena had rested her head against Kara’s shoulder, looking around the campus. A cool breeze slides up her back and she clutches onto Kara just a bit more. 

 

“Have you ever wanted to go to a place like here?” She asked, causing Kara to look back slightly. Kara shrugged.

 

“College? Yeah once I guess. I was never old enough when everything started but it seemed cool to me,” Kara said, rolling her shoulders and slapping the reigns lightly. “Alex had friends in high school who were always talking about college. I don’t know, going away for years at a time seemed foreign to me but look at me now. I probably would have liked it, just never got the chance.”

 

“My parents were always pushing it on me. You’re going to Harvard, you’re going to Yale. The only place I wanted to go to was home,” Lena said and Kara laughed. 

 

“How old were you?” The blonde asked, looking back.

 

“I was around six when college was first introduced to me and although I was the younger sibling I still had the same amount of pressure put onto me. My older brother Lex had it a bit worse than me but it was all the same. We were kids of a multi-billionaire genius, it was expected of us to be great. I don’t think I ever lived up to what they expected of me.” 

 

“I can try to get that but the most my parents wanted out of me was to survive. I think I can say that I surpassed their goal,” Kara joked and Lena grinned softly. 

 

“My father was always easier on me than Lillian. I guess since I wasn’t her birth child, I didn’t deserve sugarcoating or patience. I had to do everything she said at the time she said it. That was fine I guess and I could handle it until our dad died, “ Lena sighed and looked up at the clouds. “Lillian got harder and harder on me and easier and easier on Lex. He was her prodigy child and I was ok with that. Didn’t need her attention anyway. But when the outbreak started, all of her focus shifted to me.”

 

“Because you were immune?” Kara asked. 

 

“No. Because I was stronger,” She said, tapping her fingers against the back of Kara’s hand.” Lex isn’t...wasn’t cut out for this life. He was used to being pampered and taken care of. I could fend for myself and Lillian liked that. But she still kept him close and it’s why until a few months ago, I was sent to a military recruitment camp. Gave me some of the skills I have but not really any experience. Not until I met you.” 

 

Kara chuckled and smiled, rubbing her hand against Lena’s. “What happened to Lex, if you don’t mind me asking?” 

 

Lena let out a breath and watched the puff of air dissipate.  “I don’t like talking about it. I haven’t brought him up in a while and it’s still…..sore.” 

 

Kara took the cues and nodded, giving her condolences by rubbing Lena’s hand. “I felt like that with Alex. I truly honestly thought I lost her when we got split. I didn’t know what to do, I was lost and had to be at most 15. Spending those years without Alex, I...I got into a lot of shit. I’ll have to give you my whole life story at a later time but during that time, I didn’t know who I was. I joined crazy cults and raider camps, a bunch of dumb shit. I regret it now obviously but I don’t blame myself for what I did. Not like I could help it much, what else could I do?” 

 

“Before you and Alex got split, were you a part of Cadmus?” Lena wondered.

 

“No. Cadmus….I-I couldn’t get with their programs,” She began. “I didn’t like the authority, I didn’t like being controlled and I didn’t like raiding homes of people, children. It was wrong for me so I merely watched from the sidelines. Alex taught me everything she was taught, I just didn’t have any restrictions.” 

 

“Yeah, Lex was the same. Mostly because of Mother protecting him. No one could touch the dedicated prince of Cadmus, the next one destined to lead. I’m surprised half of them remember I existed.” 

 

“Did any of the Cadmus soldier like Lex?” Kara asked. “I mean if I were sitting beside Lillian for years just to have her son come and take over, I’d be pissed.” 

 

“Yeah, I mean, there are plenty like that. I understand it.” Lena sighed. “Working hard for their cause, just to have perfect boy take it but none of them said it to his or her face. They just accepted it and moved on.”

 

The horse trotted along, kicking up rocks and leaves at they wandered through the campus. Doors of buildings were strewn open in attempts to escape and there were multiple failed attempts at making the campus safer by letting the military in. So far it looked like nothing had worked. 

 

“Wouldn’t you think we would have seen any Cadmus around here by now? I mean, we’re sort of deep into the campus,” Lena said and Kara sighed. 

 

“We’ll see. I haven’t seen the building Alex told us about yet so we still have time. Let’s continue ahead and see what we’ll find.” 

 

Lena rested her head against Kara’s back. “If we find anything.” 

 

They continued on, riding under the different awnings and reached an opening of a fountain with benches surrounding the area. 

 

“That look like a mirror to you?” Lena asked, pointing and Kara turned, meeting eyes with a tall building, at least 6 stories with glass panels all the way down. Two stone arches curved at the top with large windows of their own. 

 

“If it doesn’t I might need to get my eyes checked,” Kara said. She gently slapped the reins and went ahead, watching their surroundings. Another cool gust of wind came onto to, sending a shiver up Lena’s back and she rolled her shoulders, feeling uneasy. The branches of dead trees danced in the wind and the sound of thunder roared far behind them. The horse shook under them, neighing lowly and Kara pet their side, calming them. “Something’s wrong. She’s getting antsy.” 

 

“Infected?” Lena asked and her question is answered by an echoing click in the building in front of them. 

 

“We need to go that way,” Kara said, taking her gun from the holster and checking the ammo. “I’m low but it’s enough to get me through. Will you be ok without me for a bit?” 

 

“Yeah, yeah I can. Go ahead,” Lena said and nodded. Kara smiled and hopped down, handing the reins to Lena but before she went ahead, Kara grabbed Lena’s hand. The brunette leaned down and kissed Kara gently on the lips before watching her head towards the building. The horse underneath her snorted uneasily and Lena shushed him, seeing Kara disappear into the building. 

 

The rot had spread through the building, filling Kara’s sense almost immediately. She grabbed her gas mask and put it on preemptively, moving throughout the building. Walking up to the building, she saw a metal gate, too heavy for them to lift. There was a generator on the other side but she needed to get there. The building that she soon discovered was a dorm was torn apart, disheveled. Spores were visible in the air, clouding her view as she got deeper into the dorm. 

 

Suddenly, the sound of glass being crushed stopped her in her tracks and she froze, reaching for her blade. Kara silently turned around and a heard a click, finding the source. A twitching Infected stood in front of her, spazzing, reaching out and clicking violently. It must have heard her walk by. Kara took careful steps towards it, grabbing her knife tightly. Once she was in reach, she lunged forward, sinking the blade into the Infected’s neck. It went down with a few shrieks but no fight. She continued ahead, keeping a low profile and looking forward. There was a few Infected spread around the hall but she could avoid or take them down discreetly. She moved through the hall without or sound and took out the Infected as collateral. Just as she went through the doorway, heading for the stairs, a force crashed into her, slamming her against the wall. 

 

Once the haze and confusion cleared, she had realized what happened. A runner had blitzed her, smashing one of the lenses of her mask against the wall, breaking it on impact. The smell of spores quickly filled her mask and Kara screamed, pushing the runner back, onto the ground. Before it got up, she attacked back, stabbing her knife into the Infected’s chest over and over. Blood covered her shirt and the more slammed her arm down, the more breaths she took in. She felt herself inhale the spores but didn’t stop, taking out with might have been her last attack on the runner. Once she was out of breath, she slumped against the rotting body, panting heavily. She felt the spores enter her lungs, infecting her. 

 

Kara knew what would happen for that point on, she knew that it was too late. Losing control and running out of air, it would only be a few hours. What was she going to do, how was she going to tell Lena?.............Lena. 

 

“Lena, oh god,” Kara said, standing and yanking the mask off. “Oh my god, oh my god, Lena.” how was she going to tell her, how  _ could _ she tell her?  She knew what was going to happen once they found Cadmus, they’d shoot her on the spot. She couldn’t have Lena witness that, not after these past weeks getting here. Not after everything they’ve been through and not after promising Lena nothing would happen to her. To either of them. Kara clutching her hair, cursing under her breath. She didn’t know what to do, she didn’t know how to think but she knew one thing. She needed to get out of here before Lena came in after her and saw the spores. She took her knife out of the runner, cleaning it off and heading up the stairs, seeing the door outside. She quickly walked towards but stopped before going out, cleaning herself out. 

 

Kara headed out the door and to the gate, hooking up the generator. 

 

“Lena, come ahead,” She called out and heard the horse trotting forward. Keep calm Kara, it’s all you had to do. 

 

“Hey, what took you so long? Thought I heard yelling in there,” Lena said and Kara frowned, shaking her head. 

 

“No. Just a runner surprised me, that’s all. No bites, I’m alright,” She said. “Hit the button, I think it’s good.” Lena nodded and pressed the button, the gate opening. After it was up, Lena and the horse came though, smiling down at Kara. She moved back and let the blonde up, letting her arms rest on Kara’s shoulders. They moved towards the building and the only thing in their way was a few fences. They easily cleared them, reaching the building. 

 

“I thought I’d see some Cadmus by now,” Lena said and Kara heard the insecurity in her voice. 

 

“Me too. Maybe, maybe they’re just inside. Low on men or something,” She suggested. 

 

“Maybe. Let’s find a way in,” Lena said and Kara nodded. They scoped out the front of the building, trying to look inside. The door was boarded up from the inside which meant they’d have to find another way in but there was still no sign of where anyone was. 

 

“Come on, we’ll check around the back,” Kara said, slapping the reins. They went to the side, seeing a gate closed with a padlock. 

 

“Kara, up there,” Lena said, nodding her head. “Something is blown out up there.” 

 

“An opening. Just how will we get up there?” Kara wondered. 

 

Lena looked around, taking in her surroundings. A garbage can was pushed over to the side and she jumped down, heading towards it. 

 

“What are you doing?” Kara asked, watching her push the can over to the downward hill. 

 

“Watch and learn,” She said smiling and pushed the can down, watching it roll into the gate, breaking the lock with ease. “We got our way in.” 

 

“I often forget how smart you are,” Kara said, coming down from the horse. She tied her to a post and followed Lena down, watching the brunette climb up the trash can and onto the roof. 

 

“When you’d turn into a badass?” Kara asked, following her up.

 

“Since I learned to lead the way,” Lena joked, heading up to the blown-out hole in the wall. Kara caught up to her and they crawled inside, finding themselves in a worse for were lab. It was quiet all but the sounds of electricity buzzing from the bright floodlights. “Thought there at least be some sign of the more guns at our heads.” 

 

“Yeah, I know,” Kara said, gripping her chest. She could feel the Infection spreading, burning and she never thought this would be the way she’d die. There was no sign of anyone, anywhere. It looked like everything was packed but nothing was taken. 

 

Lena lead the way, heading towards the floodlights and down a hallway with determination. Kara cleared her throat, ignoring the fire in her chest and followed, searching around. Lena stormed down the hallway, peeking into rooms and rushing back out. They came to a clearing, stairs heading up and down expect the ones down were blocked off by large boxes and clutter. Lena rummaged through a cart and Kara read a clipboard only seeing medical reports and write-ups. 

 

“Nothing here, nothing says where they went,” Lena said, pushing her hair over her head. “What the fuck, where did they go?” 

 

“Keep your head ok? Maybe there’s something we haven’t seen yet, other parts of this place,” Kara said, setting her hands on Lena’s shoulders. She ignored the growing pain spreading to her arms and pulled the girl in. “It’ll be alright ok, we’ll find something out.” 

 

Just as Lena was about to speak, a clatter upstairs interrupted them. They shared a look and ran upstairs, tracing the sound. More sounds were let up and Lena raced down the hallway. 

 

“Lena, wait up!” She shouted, taking off after her. She winced at the amount of pain in her body but pushed it down, moving faster. “Lena!” She came to another doorway, seeing her partner standing still. In front of them was a skeleton in a chair, barely clutching onto what looked like a tape recorder. There was a Cadmus symbol on his sleeve and gun in his other hand, hole in his skull. She walked ahead, carefully moving past Lena and took the recorder, playing it. 

 

_ "If you're looking for Cadmus, they've all left. I'm dead. Or I will be soon. Got time to reflect. I dedicated my life to this cause and now I won't get to see whether we make it or not. I joined the Cadmus shortly, _ ” Kara fast-forwarded, getting Lena out of her trance. She started to look through the papers, sighing when not finding anything.

_ “... like we might eradicate this thing. Those were usually followed by years of utter despair. Like this entire fucking thing was a goddamn waste of time. It feels like the past few years were more of the latter. We haven't had a breakthrough since the passive vaccine test we ran ... what? ...Five years ago?.....I'm not gonna do this anymore. If you made it here looking for the others, they've all returned to Saint Mary's Hospital in Salt Lake City. You'll find them there. Still trying to save the world. Good luck with that." _

 

“Fuck!” Lena shouted. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!” She snatched the recorder from Kara’s had and threw it across the room. “They’re not fucking here, what the fuck is happening?!”

 

“Hey, hey! Calm down,” Kara said, grabbing Lena. “We’re going to figure it out ok? We just have to go where they are, the tape said Salt Lake City so we go to Salt Lake City.” 

 

“How long? We can’t keep chasing them around and coming to dead ends! I’m tired of this, I just want to find them,” Lena said. She ran her hands through her hair, grunting frustratedly. 

 

“I know, I know. I’m tired too but we gotta keep going. We can’t stay here and we gotta do something sooo,” Kara said, sighing. 

 

“So what? Salt Lake City? How far away is that?” Lena said, dropping her arms to her side. 

 

“It’s not close. It’ll take a few weeks, maybe a few months with winter hitting soon,” She told her. “ _ Not that I’d make it, barely have a few minutes, _ ” She thought, sighing.

Taking a breather, they looked around for any more clues when suddenly, Kara saw a light out the window, shining directly act them. Eyes widening, she shouted and pulled Lena down, gunfire ringing out through the building. 

 

“Shit! Who was that?” Lena yelled. 

 

“I don’t know but we have to get out of here,” Kara said, pointing towards the exit and pulling out her gun. Lena did the same and they crawled towards it, keeping a low profile. Down the hall, men could be heard, shouting orders at each other. Kara put a finger over her mouth as Lena walked ahead, nodding back at her. They waited until the men reached the doorway and fired, hitting one in the chest and taking him out while stunning the other. Kara shot again, hitting him in the head and they moved forward, not running into any more of them in the hallway. They move back down the stairs, seeing four guys searching the lower level. 

 

Sparing a look at each other, they split going after two men each. Kara uses her blade, deciding to save ammo and took one man out without alerting his partner. Lena copied her route, taking her stiletto blade and slicing the back of one of their knees, causing him to cry out. She was faster, covering his mouth as he fell and sticking the blade in his chest. His gun fell with a loud clatter and his partner went over, spotting Lena. 

 

“Hey! Here she is!” He yelled before shooting. Kara shot at him, hitting him in his chest and he fell before a shot hit Lena. She started to run out to Lena but the wind was knocked out of her and she hit a railing, the gun falling over the edge. A man is upon her, trying to stick a knife into her chest. She grabs his hands, struggling to fight but his weight is heavy and she hears the glass crack behind her. It gives and they fall. She hears Lena cry out and the next thing she feels is a burn followed by pulsing, nerve-wracking pain. She yells out, feeling tears pool in her eyes and looks down. 

 

A large metal rod sticking out from her abdomen. Blood pools quickly around her and she feels her shirt and jacket weighing down. She wails in pain, squeezing her eyes shut. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t think. Numbing pain was through her body already and now she was sure this would be her grave. Eyes fluttering closed and vision blurring, she barely registered Lena until she was touching her. 

 

“Kara, Kara Kara, are you ok?” SHe asked panicked. “Oh my god, oh my god Kara!” 

 

“Lena…” She said weakly, reaching out to her. Lena grabbed her hand and looked her over. 

 

“Kara, Kara, we gotta get you out of here,” Lena said. “We gotta get somewhere safe.” 

 

“Lena, Lena you gotta leave me,” Kara gasped out, coughing, feeling iron filling her mouth. “You can’t take me with you.” 

 

“Yes, I can, of course, I can. We just have to get you off this,” She said. 

 

“No, Lena you can’t. I'm ...I'm Infected,” She said, coughing. 

 

“No, no you’re not. You’re not, you’re fine,” Lena said, frantically looking around. 

 

“Spores…..spores in building, mask...mask broke,” Kara said. “You gotta go. You gotta be safe.” 

 

“Kara no, no I’m not leaving you behind. You’ll be fine, we just need to get you off this. You’ll be fine,” Lena said, tears filling her eyes. 

 

“Lena..”

 

“No. No, I’m not leaving you.” 

 

“Lena, Lena move!” She shouted, taking the girl’s gun and firing at the thrown open doors, shooting three entering men. She wailed out in pain, laying back down, panting. 

 

“Kara, Kara! We need to get you out of here,” Lena said.

“I’m Infected,” Kara reminded. 

 

“You’re not dead and that’s all I care about!” She shouted. “I’m gonna pull you up ok? Once I do, we need to get clear of here. Take my hand.” 

 

“Lena…”

 

“Take it!” She said, grunting. Kara looked at her with tears in her eyes and cursed, taking Lena’s hand. Lena grunted, pulling Kara up and she screamed out in pain, her cries echoing through the building. Blood spewed on the ground and she collapsed, sweat covering her forehead. Lena came next to her, placing Kara’s arm over her shoulder and standing her up. “We’re together ok? Together.” 

 

“To-together,” Kara said, coughing. She clutched her side with her free hand and they limped through the door, seeing the exit only a few yards away. There was clutter blocking the way that they needed to climb over and Kara winced preemptively. 

 

“Can you get over it?” She asked and Kara nodded, placing her hand against the desk. Lena pushed her up and she dragged her over, falling to the ground with a loud thud, onto her wound. She whimpered, trying to keep herself up, keep herself awake. Lena came up, taking her up and walking towards the door when shots rang out.

 

They ducked, hiding behind cover and Lena took her gun back, firing at the attackers. She couldn't tell how many she hit and she didn’t care, Kara was her only concern. But once the firing stopped, she grabbed the blonde again and headed out the door. 

 

There was a man outside, struggling to until their horse. Lena shot him quickly and boosted Kara up, jumping behind her. Taking the reins, she slapped them hard and they darted out of the campus. Leaving a trail of blood behind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was saving the Kara thing for a good time. What do you think will happen to her? 
> 
> PS. I'll be doing the Left Behind DLC stuff and it'll be slightly altered for obvious reasons

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed! Please please tell me if you want more from this fic. The plot will be very similar to Last Of Us but of course Kara and Lena's relationship will be different from Joel and Ellie. I love Supercorp and I love that game and there aren't many zombie fics in this fandom so I tried my hand. Tell me if anything should be improved and I'll see you next time!


End file.
